Physical function trends and their association with mortality in postmenopausal women

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Limited research exists on the predictive value of the RAND-36 questionnaire and physical performance tests for mortality in older women.
• Understanding predictors of mortality is crucial for preventative health strategies in aging populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the predictive utility of the RAND-36 questionnaire and physical performance tests for all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and total-cancer mortality in women aged 65 years and older.
• To compare the prognostic value of self-reported physical functioning (RAND-36) with objective physical performance measures.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal cohort study involving 5,534 women aged ≥65 years.
• Baseline data included RAND-36 scores, gait speed, and chair stand performance. A subset had follow-up assessments.
• Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression and Uno concordance statistic were used to analyze associations with mortality outcomes.

Main Results:

• Higher baseline RAND-36 scores were significantly associated with lower all-cause mortality (HR=0.90), comparable to physical performance tests (HRs 0.88-0.91).
• The RAND-36 demonstrated good discriminatory capacity (Uno=0.65), similar to performance tests.
• No significant associations were found between RAND-36 or performance measures and CVD or total-cancer mortality.

Conclusions:

• The RAND-36 questionnaire serves as a practical substitute for assessing physical functioning and predicting all-cause mortality in older adults.
• It is a valuable tool when clinical performance testing is not feasible, aiding in health risk assessment.