Fear of Falling and its Relationship With Frailty in Older Adults

Abstract

Objectives Fear of falling affects the daily performance of older adults, exacerbates the frailty syndrome, and ultimately reduces their independence. This study aims to investigate the relationship between fear of falling and frailty in older adults in Bushehr, Iran. Methods & Materials This descriptive-analytical study with a cross-sectional design was conducted on 215 older adults aged ≥60 years referred to urban comprehensive health centers in Bushehr, Iran in 2021 who were selected by a cluster sampling method. A demographic/clinical form, falls efficacy scale international (FES-I), and Fried’s frailty scale were used for collecting data. Data were analyzed using chi-square test, and logistic regression analysis in SPSS software, version 24. Results The mean age of the participants was 68.81±8.31 years. They included 56.7% female (n=122) and 43.3% male (n=93). The chance of developing frailty syndrome in people with high level of fear of falling was 6 times that of people with low fear of falling (OR=6.37, 95% CI, 1.44%-28.08%). The fear of falling was significantly higher in those with younger age, low education level, low income, those who were widower/widow, housekeeper or retired, and those with a history of falling in the last year, and frailty (P<0.001). Conclusion Fear of falling can cause frailty and thus increase the dependence of older adults; therefore, timely screening and intervention are recommended to reduce its negative effects

Keywords

• fear of falling
• frailty
• older adults