Mobility Limitations and Fall‐Related Factors Contribute to the Reduced Health‐Related Quality of Life in Older Adults With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Purpose</jats:title><jats:p>To investigate (1) the prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CMP</jats:styled-content>) among a sample of community‐dwelling older adults and (2) health‐related quality of life (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">HRQOL</jats:styled-content>) in people with <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CMP</jats:styled-content>, particularly the association with mobility limitations and falls‐related factors.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Method</jats:title><jats:p>Overall, 295 (response rate 73.5%) community‐dwelling older adults were recruited across 10 sites. <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CMP</jats:styled-content> was assessed using recognized criteria. In the sample of people with <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CMP</jats:styled-content>, a hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted with <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">HRQOL</jats:styled-content> as the dependent variable and a number of independent variables were then inserted into the model. After controlling for demographic and medical variables, mobility (timed up and go (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">TUG</jats:styled-content>), walking aid use, sedentary behavior) and fall‐related factors (falls history, balance confidence, concerns about consequences of falling) were inserted into the model at the second step and changes in adjusted <jats:italic>R</jats:italic><jats:sup>2</jats:sup> noted.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>Within our sample of older adults, 52% had <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CMP</jats:styled-content> (154/295). Compared to the group without <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CMP</jats:styled-content> of similar age (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 141), those with <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CMP</jats:styled-content> had reduced <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">HRQOL</jats:styled-content> and profound mobility limitations and more falls risk factors (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> &lt; 0.001). The mobility and falls explanatory variables increased the variance explained within <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">HRQOL</jats:styled-content> from 14% to 36% (adjusted <jats:italic>R</jats:italic><jats:sup>2</jats:sup> change 20%) in those with <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CMP</jats:styled-content>. Sedentary behavior, pain interference, concerns about the consequences of falling, falls history, <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">TUG</jats:styled-content> scores, and balance confidence all remained significant predictors of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">HRQOL</jats:styled-content> in the fully adjusted model in the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CMP</jats:styled-content> sample.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title><jats:p>Older adults with <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CMP</jats:styled-content> have pronounced mobility limitations and increased falls risk factors, and these are associated with a marked reduction in <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">HRQOL</jats:styled-content>. Future prospective research is required to build on this cross‐sectional study.</jats:p></jats:sec>