1. Is car use related with successful aging of older adults? Results from the multinational Mediterranean islands study.
- Author
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Tyrovolas, Stefanos, Polychronopoulos, Evangelos, Morena, Marianthi, Mariolis, Anargiros, Piscopo, Suzanne, Valacchi, Giuseppe, Bountziouka, Vassiliki, Anastasiou, Foteini, Zeimbekis, Akis, Tyrovola, Dimitra, Foscolou, Alexandra, Gotsis, Efthimios, Metallinos, George, Soulis, George, Tur, Josep-Antoni, Matalas, Antonia, Lionis, Christos, Sidossis, Labros S., and Panagiotakos, Demosthenes
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OLDER people physiology , *LIFESTYLES & health , *QUALITY of life , *GEOLOGICAL basins , *CROSS-sectional method , *PSYCHOLOGICAL aspects of aging , *MENTAL health , *AGING , *AUTOMOBILE driving , *RURAL population , *PSYCHOLOGY - Abstract
Purpose: The aim of the present work was to evaluate the relation between car use and the level of successful aging of a random sample of older adults living in the Mediterranean basin.Methods: During 2005-2011, 2749 older (aged 65-100 years) from 22 islands and the rural Mani region (Peloponnesus) of Greece were voluntarily enrolled in the Mediterranean islands cross-sectional study. Sociodemographics, medical conditions, and dietary and lifestyle habits were derived throughout standard procedures. Car use was recorded with a standard binary question. A successful aging index ranging from 0-10 was used.Results: Older adults who used a car on regular basis had significantly higher levels of successful aging, as well as less prevalence of obesity and hypertension while were more physically active (P < .001). After adjusting for several confounders car use was still positively related with elderly islander's successful aging level (beta coefficient [95% confidence interval]: 0.65 [0.54-0.77]).Conclusions: In conclusion, the activity of car use seems to be an indicator of quality of life among older adults, as measured through successful aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2017
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