Basic mobility, accidental falls, and lifetime physical activity among rural and urban community-dwelling older adults: a population-based study in Northern Iceland

The objective of this research was to investigate late-life physical functioning and lifetime history of physical activity (PA) among older adults in rural and urban Arctic communities. Data was collected in a cross-sectional, population-based study among 65 to 92-year-old community-dwelling Icelanders (N = 175, 41% ≥75-year-old, 43% women, 40% rural). Late-life physical functioning was operationalised as: basic mobility (Timed Up and Go in seconds, TUG); fall risk (TUG≥12 sec); a fall (≥1 fall/year); and recurrent falls (≥2 falls/year). PA history was based on a self-assessment. Compared to urban participants, rural participants were more likely to have fallen recently, be at fall risk, and describe more PA history. Among urban participants, no fall in the past year was independently associated with more PA in middle adulthood; and worse basic mobility and late-life fall risk were independently associated with being in the ≥75-year-old group. Among rural participants, recurrent falls were independently associated with being a man; and better basic mobility was independently associated with more PA in late adulthood. To conclude, this evidence supports an important association between better late-life physical functioning and more mid- and late-life PA and encourages further research to understand high fall risk among older men in Arctic rural areas.