Mobility of older palliative care patients with advanced cancer: a Korean study

to describe the levels of mobility in older cancer patients receiving palliative care in Korea, and to examine the associations of their mobility with lifestyle factors (sleep disturbance, physical activity) and physical symptoms (pain, fatigue).

In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 91 older cancer patients receiving palliative care were interviewed using a semi-structured survey questionnaire. Mobility was measured using the 6MWT. Physical activity behavior was measured using the classification of the ACSM. Sleep disturbance was assessed using the frequency sub-category of the SHQ. Both pain and fatigue were measured using a VAS.

The mean 6MWT distance was 220.38 m. Participants in their 60 s, 70 s, and 80 s walked, on average, 260.93 m, 205.31 m, and 157.05 m, respectively. Approximately 73% of the participants engaged in regular physical activity. Those engaged in regular physical activity were significantly more mobile than those who were not (t = 2.44; p = .017). Higher levels of mobility were correlated with lower levels of sleep disturbance (r = -.37), fatigue (r = -.23), and pain (r = -.27). Significant predictors for mobility included levels of sleep disturbance, medication status, age, number of family members and monthly income, accounting for 34.7% of the variance in mobility.

Korean cancer patients have relatively low levels of mobility. Cancer patients aged over 80 years are a vulnerable group at risk for impaired mobility. Older palliative care patients are more active than one might expect. Levels of mobility are inversely associated with pain, fatigue, and sleep-related symptoms.