Home › Research › Digital health tools
Different Combinations of Mobility Metrics Derived From a Wearable Sensor Are Associated With Distinct Health Outcomes in Older Adults
Buchman AS, Dawe RJ, Leurgans SE, Curran TA, Truty T, Yu L, Barnes LL, Hausdorff JM et al.. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, 2020-05-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Gait speed is a robust nonspecific predictor of health outcomes. We examined if combinations of gait speed and other mobility metrics are associated with specific health outcomes. Methods A sensor (triaxial accelerometer and gyroscope) placed on the lower back, measured mobility in the homes of 1,249 older adults (77% female; 80.0, SD = 7.72 years). Twelve gait scores were extracted from five performances, including (a) walking, (b) transition from sit to stand, (c) transition from stand to sit, (d) turning, and (e) standing posture. Using separate Cox proportional hazards models, we examined which metrics were associated with time to mortality, incident activities of daily living disability, mobility disability, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease dementia. We used a single integrated analytic framework to determine which gait scores survived to predict each outcome. Results During 3.6 years of follow-up, 10 of the 12 gait scores predicted one or more of the five health outcomes. In further analyses, different combinations of 2-3 gait scores survived backward elimination and were associated with the five outcomes. Sway was one of the three scores that predicted activities of daily living disability but was not included in the final models for other outcomes. Gait speed was included along with other metrics in the final models predicting mortality and activities of daily living disability but not for other outcomes. Conclusions When analyzing multiple mobility metrics together, different combinations of mobility metrics are related to specific adverse health outcomes. Digital technology enhances our understanding of impaired mobility and may provide mobility biomarkers that predict distinct health outcomes.
Key findings
- We examined if combinations of gait speed and other mobility metrics are associated with specific health outcomes.
- Using separate Cox proportional hazards models, we examined which metrics were associated with time to mortality, incident activities of daily living disability, mobility disability, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease dementia.
- Results During 3.6 years of follow-up, 10 of the 12 gait scores predicted one or more of the five health outcomes.
- In further analyses, different combinations of 2-3 gait scores survived backward elimination and were associated with the five outcomes.
Why it matters
This study used a wearable sensor to measure mobility in 1249 older adults and examined which gait scores predicted health outcomes including Alzheimer's disease dementia. It found different combinations of gait scores were associated with outcomes, but this is about risk prediction, not treatment or cure.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Digital health →
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | The Journals of Gerontology Series A: journal h-index 274 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 53 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.6 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 22 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author David Alan Bennett: h-index 197 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Tel Aviv University: institution h-index 1,018 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31246244) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glz160
- PubMed: 31246244
- Original source →
- Free full text: The Journals of Gerontology Series A →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Buchman, A. S., Dawe, R. J., Leurgans, S. E., Curran, T. A., Truty, T., Yu, L., et al. (2020). Different Combinations of Mobility Metrics Derived From a Wearable Sensor Are Associated With Distinct Health Outcomes in Older Adults. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glz160
Vancouver
Buchman AS, Dawe RJ, Leurgans SE, Curran TA, Truty T, Yu L, et al. Different Combinations of Mobility Metrics Derived From a Wearable Sensor Are Associated With Distinct Health Outcomes in Older Adults. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences. 2020. doi:10.1093/gerona/glz160. PMID: 31246244.
BibTeX
@article{buchman2020-31246244,
author = {Buchman, A. S. and Dawe, R. J. and Leurgans, S. E. and Curran, T. A. and Truty, T. and Yu, L. and Barnes, L. L. and Hausdorff, J. M. and others},
title = {{Different Combinations of Mobility Metrics Derived From a Wearable Sensor Are Associated With Distinct Health Outcomes in Older Adults}},
journal = {The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1093/gerona/glz160},
pmid = {31246244},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glz160}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Later studies that cite this one
2 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.