The mobility of malnourished rural elderly women

Abstract

In the study, we investigated the factors affecting mobility among malnourished elderly women in rural areas. Participants were 344 elderly rural women who were at high risk of malnourishment. Muscular strength, cognitive capability, nutritional status, depression, and mobility were measured. Findings revealed that age, educational level, regular exercise, health condition, muscle strength, nutritional status level and depressive symptoms were significant predictors of mobility; the explanatory power of this model was 40.5%. Among the variables, muscle strength was the most influential factor. Therefore, a program should be developed to improve the mobility of elderly women in rural areas at high risk of malnourishment by improving their exercise and nutritional status, and should include psychological interventions to relieve depressive symptoms. © Rushing Water Publishers Ltd. 2018.