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Objectives To examine the association between routine physical activity and risk of 3-year mortality in Mexican Americans aged 75 and older. Design Longitudinal study involving a population-based survey. Setting Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly ( H- EPESE) survey conducted in the southwestern United States ( TX, CO, AZ, NM, CA). Participants Mexican- American men and women aged 75 and older ( N = 948) participating in the H- EPESE. Measurements Responses to the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly ( PASE) were assessed in 2005-06. Mortality was determined according to report of relatives at 3-year follow-up and from the National Death Index. Covariates included sociodemographic characteristics, financial strain, smoking status, body mass index, activities of daily living, depressive symptoms, cognitive function, and comorbid conditions. Results The mean age of the sample was 82.2 ± 4.5. Cox proportional hazard regression estimated that the hazard ratios of death for persons in the low, moderate, and high quartiles of physical activity ( PASE scale) ranged from 0.36 (95% confidence interval ( CI) = 0.21-0.62) to 0.50 (95% CI = 0.31-0.82) compared to persons in the sedentary quartile after adjusting for covariates. Conclusion Routine physical activity involving household and leisure activities was associated with lower 3-year risk of mortality in a sample of older Mexican Americans living in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine independent influences of functional level and lower limb amputation type on inpatient rehabilitation outcomes. We conducted a secondary data analysis for patients with lower limb amputation who received inpatient medical rehabilitation (N = 26,501). The study outcomes included length of stay, discharge functional status, and community discharge. Predictors included the 3-level case mix group variable and a 4-category amputation variable. Age of the sample was 64.5 years (13.4) and 64% were male. More than 75% of patients had a dysvascular-related amputation. Patients with bilateral transfemoral amputations and higher functional severity experienced longest lengths of stay (average 13.7 days) and lowest functional rating at discharge (average 79.4). Likelihood of community discharge was significantly lower for those in more functionally severe patients but did not differ between amputation categories. Functional levels and amputation type are associated with rehabilitation outcomes in inpatient rehabilitation settings. Patients with transfemoral amputations and those in case mix group 1003 (admission motor score less than 36.25) generally experience poorer outcomes than those in other case mix groups. These relationships may be associated with other demographic and/or health factors, which should be explored in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]