Characteristics of falls and their fear in older adults requiring long-term care.
Lu Yin, Yohei Sawaya, Ryo Sato and 2 others
PMID 37529061WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults in daycare who had fallen showed less confidence crossing streets and performing daily tasks than non-fallers.
Low confidence in crossing the street was specifically linked to a history of falls, suggesting outdoor mobility anxiety is a key marker in this group.
Key findings
01Participants who had fallen in the past year had significantly lower total scores on the Modified Falls Efficacy Scale than those who had not fallen.
02Among all activities tested, only low confidence in crossing the street was significantly associated with having a history of falls in logistic regression.
03Fallers also reported significantly lower confidence in bathing, getting in and out of bed, answering the door, sitting in a chair, dressing, and crossing the street compared to non-fallers.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study excluded people who could not walk unaided or with a single cane, so the results do not apply to more disabled older adults. The study relied on self-reported falls over the past year, which can be inaccurate due to memory bias. The sample size was small (51 participants), and the study design cannot prove that fear of falling causes falls, only that they are linked. Physical function was not measured in detail, so it is unclear if low confidence was due to actual physical weakness or psychological fear.
Declared interests
Funded by JSPS Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research. No conflicts of interest declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that treating fear of falling will prevent falls. This study shows an association between low confidence and a history of falls, but it does not prove that one causes the other. The link to crossing the street was the only significant predictor, but the overall evidence is low certainty.