Racial similarities and differences in predictors of mobility change over eighteen months

OBJECTIVES: To define racial similarities and differences in mobility among community-dwelling older adults and to identify predictors of mobility change. DESIGN: Prospective, observational, cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Nine hundred and five community-dwelling older adults. MEASURES: Baseline in-home assessments were conducted to assess life-space mobility, sociodemographic variables, disease status, geriatric syndromes, neuropsychological factors, and health behaviors. Disease reports were verified by review of medications, physician questionnaires, or hospital discharge summaries. Telephone interviews defined follow-up life-space mobility at 18 months of follow-up. RESULTS: African Americans had lower baseline life-space (LS-C) than whites (mean 57.0 ± standard deviation [SD] 24.5 vs. 72.7 ± SD 22.6; P