Associations between biopsychosocial factors and transportation patterns of older adults residing in Klang Valley, Malaysia

Nurul Syuhada Mohd Rosnu; Wan Syafira Ishak; Mohd Harimi Abd Rahman; Suzana Shahar; Charles Musselwhite; Arimi Fitri Mat Ludin; Tengku Aizan Hamid; Abdul Rais Abdul Latiff; Devinder Kaur Ajit Singh

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1153822

Associations between biopsychosocial factors and transportation patterns of older adults residing in Klang Valley, Malaysia

Front Public Health. 2023 May 10:11:1153822. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1153822. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Nurul Syuhada Mohd Rosnu¹, Wan Syafira Ishak¹, Mohd Harimi Abd Rahman², Suzana Shahar¹, Charles Musselwhite³, Arimi Fitri Mat Ludin¹, Tengku Aizan Hamid⁴, Abdul Rais Abdul Latiff⁵, Devinder Kaur Ajit Singh¹

Affiliations

¹ Center for Healthy Ageing and Wellness (H-Care), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
² Optometry and Vision Sciences Programme, Center for Rehabilitation and Special Needs, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
³ Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom.
⁴ Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
⁵ School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.

Abstract

Introduction: Aging is associated with physiological changes in multiple systems in the body and may impact the transportation choices of older adults. In this study, we examine the associations between biopsychosocial factors and the transportation choices of Malaysian older adults.

Methods: One hundred and nineteen (119) older adults, aged 60 and above, living in Klang Valley, Malaysia were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Participants were interviewed face-to-face to obtain sociodemographic data, health status (whether there were and, if yes, the number of comorbidities), outdoor mobility and transportation patterns, Instrumental Activity Daily Living (IADL) status and cognitive function. Participants' physical performance (dominant handgrip strength, 10-m walk, and timed up and go tests), hearing threshold (pure tone audiometry), and vision function (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity) were measured. Transportation patterns of older adults were categorized into three groups, that is, flexible (using public transport and/or private vehicles), using only private vehicles and restricted (relying on others or walking).

Results: Further information is needed to enable such older adults as older women, those with comorbidities and poorer functional status to access transportation, especially to meet their health care needs.

Discussion: The majority (51%) of participants were in the 'using only private vehicles' group, followed by the 'flexibles' (25%) and the 'restricted' (24%). Factors significantly associated with the restricted transportation group were: (a) being female (AdjOR 15.39, 95% CI 0.86-23.39, p < 0.001); (b) being Malay (AdjOR 21.72, 95% CI 0.36-16.12, p < 0.001); (c) having higher number of comorbidities (AdjOR 14.01, 95% CI 0.20-13.21, p = 0.007); and (d) being dependent in IADL (AdjOR 13.48, 95% CI 0.51-1.78, p = 0.002).

Keywords: aging; biopsychosocial factors; older driver; outdoor mobility; transportation patterns.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Aging*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Hand Strength*
Humans
Malaysia / epidemiology
Male
Transportation