Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 10, 2025
Visualization of Intensity Levels to Reduce the Gap Between Self-Reported and Directly Measured Physical Activity
Published on: March 7, 2019
Factors associated with going outdoors frequently: a cross-sectional study among Swiss community-dwelling older
Julia Spaltenstein1, Christophe Bula2, Brigitte Santos-Eggimann3
1Service of Geriatric Medicine and Geriatric Rehabilitation, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland julia.spaltenstein@unil.ch.
Objective:
This study examines potential risk and protective factors associated with going outdoors frequently among older persons, and whether these factors vary according to physical limitations.
Design:
Cross-sectional analysis.
Setting And Participants:
Community-dwelling participants of the Lausanne cohort Lc65+ in 2016, aged 68-82 years (n=3419).
Methods:
Associations between going outdoors frequently and physical limitations, sociodemographic, health, psychological and social variables were examined using logistic regression models. Subgroup analyses were performed according to the severity of physical limitations.
Main Outcome Measures:
'Going outdoors frequently' was defined as going out ≥5 days/week and not spending most of the time sitting or lying down.
Results:
Three in four (73.9%) participants reported going outdoors frequently. Limitations in climbing stairs (adjusted OR (AdjOR) 0.61, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.80) and walking (AdjOR 0.24, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.31), as well as depressive symptoms (AdjOR 0.58, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.70), dyspnoea (AdjOR 0.60, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.75), age (AdjORolder age group 0.73, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.92) and fear of falling (AdjOR 0.75, 95% CI 0.62 to 0.91) reduced the odds of going outdoors frequently. In contrast, living alone (AdjOR 1.30, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.56), reporting a dense (AdjOR 1.57, 95% CI 1.26 to 1.96) and a high-quality (AdjOR 1.28, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.53) social network increased the odds of going outdoors frequently. Among participants with severe limitations, 44.6% still went outdoors frequently. Among this subgroup, a new emotional relationship (AdjOR 2.52, 95% CI 1.18 to 5.38) was associated with going outdoors, whereas cognitive complaints (AdjOR 0.66, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.93), urinary incontinence (AdjOR 0.67, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.97), dyspnea (AdjOR:0.67, 95%CI:0.48-0.93), and depressive symptoms (AdjOR 0.67, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.93) lowered the odds of going outdoors.
Conclusion:
Physical limitations are associated with decreased odds of going outdoors frequently. However, social characteristics appear to mitigate this association, even among older persons with severe limitations. Further studies are needed to determine causality and help guide interventions to promote going outdoors as an important component of active ageing.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Lifestyle Factors and Health
Benefits of Physical Activity
Physical activity, whether through structured exercise or casual activities like walking, biking, or dancing, is a cornerstone of a...
01:18Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...
01:17Factors Affecting Activity Coefficient
The activity coefficient value for an ion is close to one when the solution has almost zero ionic strength, i.e., when the solution shows close to ideal behavior. As the ionic strength of the solution increases from 0 to 0.1 mol/L, a...
01:30Factors Influencing Heart Rate
Let us explore the significant factors affecting heart rate, including age, body temperature, posture, acute pain, chemical influences,...
01:26Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...