Prevalence and Correlates of Fear of Falling Among Elderly Population in Urban Area of Karnataka, India

Overview

Journal J Midlife Health

Date 2014 Oct 16

PMID 25317002

Citations 17

Authors

Abhay B Mane

T Sanjana

Prabhakar R Patil

T Sriniwas

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Context: Falls are a major public health problem in the elderly population. Fear of falling (FOF) among elderly persons can compromise quality of life by limiting mobility, diminished sense of well-being and reduced social interactions. India is undergoing a demographic transitional phase with urban elderly population of 6.72% in 2001. The major challenge would be on the prevention of falls among them. Hence there is a need to highlight the problems related to fall faced by the elderly in India.

Objective: To study the prevalence of FOF and its correlates among the elderly population in urban area.

Materials And Methods: 250 elderly subjects above 60 years were randomly selected from urban area and interviewed for FOF using Short Fall Efficacy Scale-I (FES-I), history of falls and risk factors.

Results: The prevalence of FOF among the elderly was 33.2%. The significant correlates of FOF were educational status, family type, associated health problems, history of fall in past 6 months, worried of fall again among fallers, fearfulness of fall again among fallers, restriction of daily activities and depression among them. The insignificant correlates were gender and socio-economic status.

Conclusion: FOF is a health problem among the elderly living in urban India needs urgent attention. It represents a significant threat to socialization, independence and morbidity or mortality. Knowledge of correlates of FOF may be useful in developing multidimensional strategies to reduce it among elderly.

Citing Articles

Association of fear of falling with performance-based physical function and low back pain in older adults: a cross-sectional study in Iran.

Khodadadi Z, ShahAli S, Hejazi A, Shanbehzadeh S BMJ Open. 2024; 14(8):e086970.

PMID: 39107012 PMC: 11308886. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-086970.

Cross-sectional study of prevalence and correlates of fear of falling in the older people in residential care in India: the Hyderabad Ocular Morbidity in Elderly Study (HOMES).

Marmamula S, Kumbham T, Modepalli S, Barrenkala N, Keeffe J, Friedman D BMJ Open. 2024; 14(5):e080973.

PMID: 38806424 PMC: 11138276. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-080973.

The global prevalence of and risk factors for fear of falling among older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Xiong W, Wang D, Ren W, Liu X, Wen R, Luo Y BMC Geriatr. 2024; 24(1):321.

PMID: 38580924 PMC: 10998426. DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-04882-w.

Unintentional domestic injuries among elderly in rural areas of Mandya: A community-based cross-sectional study in Southern Karnataka.

Shashikantha S, Huchchannavar R, Jindal H J Family Med Prim Care. 2023; 12(4):727-733.

PMID: 37312780 PMC: 10259570. DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1745_22.

Association of falls and fear of falling with objectively-measured driving habits among older drivers: LongROAD study.

DiGuiseppi C, Hyde H, Betz M, Scott K, Eby D, Hill L J Safety Res. 2022; 83:96-104.

PMID: 36481041 PMC: 10115437. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2022.08.007.

References

Martin F, Hart D, Spector T, Doyle D, Harari D . Fear of falling limiting activity in young-old women is associated with reduced functional mobility rather than psychological factors. Age Ageing. 2005; 34(3):281-7. DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afi074. View

Kempen G, van Haastregt J, McKee K, Delbaere K, Zijlstra G . Socio-demographic, health-related and psychosocial correlates of fear of falling and avoidance of activity in community-living older persons who avoid activity due to fear of falling. BMC Public Health. 2009; 9:170. PMC: 2698855. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-9-170. View

Mann R, Birks Y, Hall J, Torgerson D, Watt I . Exploring the relationship between fear of falling and neuroticism: a cross-sectional study in community-dwelling women over 70. Age Ageing. 2005; 35(2):143-7. DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afj013. View

Delbaere K, Crombez G, Van Den Noortgate N, Willems T, Cambier D . The risk of being fearful or fearless of falls in older people: an empirical validation. Disabil Rehabil. 2006; 28(12):751-6. DOI: 10.1080/09638280500304794. View

Fessel K, Nevitt M . Correlates of fear of falling and activity limitation among persons with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Care Res. 1997; 10(4):222-8. DOI: 10.1002/art.1790100403. View

Baker S, Harvey A . Fall injuries in the elderly. Clin Geriatr Med. 1985; 1(3):501-12. View

Murphy S, Tickle-Degnen L . Participation in daily living tasks among older adults with fear of falling. Am J Occup Ther. 2003; 55(5):538-44. DOI: 10.5014/ajot.55.5.538. View

Arfken C, Lach H, Birge S, Miller J . The prevalence and correlates of fear of falling in elderly persons living in the community. Am J Public Health. 1994; 84(4):565-70. PMC: 1614787. DOI: 10.2105/ajph.84.4.565. View

Howland J, Peterson E, LEVIN W, Fried L, Pordon D, Bak S . Fear of falling among the community-dwelling elderly. J Aging Health. 1993; 5(2):229-43. DOI: 10.1177/089826439300500205. View

10.

Bertera E, Bertera R . Fear of falling and activity avoidance in a national sample of older adults in the United States. Health Soc Work. 2008; 33(1):54-62. DOI: 10.1093/hsw/33.1.54. View

11.

Kempen G, Yardley L, van Haastregt J, Zijlstra G, Beyer N, Hauer K . The Short FES-I: a shortened version of the falls efficacy scale-international to assess fear of falling. Age Ageing. 2007; 37(1):45-50. DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afm157. View

12.

Andresen E, Wolinsky F, Miller J, Wilson M, Malmstrom T, Miller D . Cross-sectional and longitudinal risk factors for falls, fear of falling, and falls efficacy in a cohort of middle-aged African Americans. Gerontologist. 2006; 46(2):249-57. DOI: 10.1093/geront/46.2.249. View

13.

Howland J, Lachman M, Peterson E, Cote J, Kasten L, Jette A . Covariates of fear of falling and associated activity curtailment. Gerontologist. 1998; 38(5):549-55. DOI: 10.1093/geront/38.5.549. View

14.

Gagnon N, Flint A, Naglie G, Devins G . Affective correlates of fear of falling in elderly persons. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2005; 13(1):7-14. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajgp.13.1.7. View

15.

van Helden S, Wyers C, Dagnelie P, van Dongen M, Willems G, Brink P . Risk of falling in patients with a recent fracture. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2007; 8:55. PMC: 1933426. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2474-8-55. View

16.

Vellas B, Wayne S, Romero L, Baumgartner R, Garry P . Fear of falling and restriction of mobility in elderly fallers. Age Ageing. 1997; 26(3):189-93. DOI: 10.1093/ageing/26.3.189. View

17.

Tinetti M, Mendes de Leon C, Doucette J, Baker D . Fear of falling and fall-related efficacy in relationship to functioning among community-living elders. J Gerontol. 1994; 49(3):M140-7. DOI: 10.1093/geronj/49.3.m140. View

18.

Kannus P, Palvanen M, Niemi S, Parkkari J . Alarming rise in the number and incidence of fall-induced cervical spine injuries among older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2007; 62(2):180-3. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/62.2.180. View

19.

Tinetti M, Richman D, Powell L . Falls efficacy as a measure of fear of falling. J Gerontol. 1990; 45(6):P239-43. DOI: 10.1093/geronj/45.6.p239. View

20.

Ganz D, Bao Y, Shekelle P, Rubenstein L . Will my patient fall?. JAMA. 2007; 297(1):77-86. DOI: 10.1001/jama.297.1.77. View