What Do Older Canadians Think They Need to Walk Well?

PURPOSE: To identify older Canadians' perception of the importance of expert-generated elements of walking quality, and the contributors to and consequences of perceived walking quality.

METHOD: Cross-sectional survey of 649 adults was conducted through a commercial participant panel, Hosted in Canada Surveys.

RESULTS: Of the 649 respondents, 75% were between 65 and 74 years old (25% ≥ 75) and 49% were women. The most important elements were foot, ankle, hip, and knee mobility with little difference in ranks across walking perception (Fr χ 12  = 5.0, p > 0.05). People who were older by a decade were more likely to report poorer walking (POR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.0, 1.7), as were women compared to men, and people who used a walking aid compared to none. Lung disease showed the highest association with a perception of not walking well (POR: 7.2; 95% CI: 3.7, 14.2). The odds of being willing to pay more for a technology to improve walking were always greater for those with a lower perception of their walking quality.

CONCLUSIONS: People who perceived their walking quality as poor were more likely to report poorer health and were willing to pay more for a technology to improve walking. This supports the opportunity of leveraging wearable technologies to improve walking.