Dataset Information

Fear of falling as a mediator in the association between social frailty and health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Social frailty is associated with Fear of Falling (FoF) and health-related quality of life (HrQoL). However, how social frailty simultaneously influences FoF and HrQoL remains unclear. The study aims to understand the links between social frailty, FoF, and HrQoL in older adults and the mediating role of FoF in the relations between social frailty and HrQoL.

Methods

In this cross-sectional survey, 1,933 community-dwelling older adults from Changhua County, Taiwan, were interviewed using a self-administrated questionnaire. In total, 1,251 participants with complete data were included for analysis. Data were analyzed using the SPSS PROCESS macro. A simple mediation was employed using social frailty as the independent variable, FoF as the mediator variable, and HrQoL as the outcome variable.

Results

Social frailty was associated with HrQoL and indirectly with HrQoL through FoF, and FoF was directly associated with HrQoL. Of the 5-item social frailty index, "going out less frequently" was correlated with HrQoL and indirectly with HrQoL through FoF. Individuals who felt unhelpful toward family or friends had the worst physical HrQoL and did not talk to someone daily had the most negative influence on mental HrQoL.

Conclusions

Social frailty can directly and indirectly, through FoF decrease HrQoL. It also emphasizes the importance of social connectivity in reducing the risk of falls. This study points to the need for social connectivity and fall prevention programs as essential components of strategies to enhance the health and well-being of community-dwelling older adults.

SUBMITTER: Wu KY

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10334636 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Fear of falling as a mediator in the association between social frailty and health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.

Wu Kuan-Ying KY Chen Duan-Rung DR Chan Chang-Chuan CC Yeh Yen-Po YP Chen Hsiu-Hsi HH

BMC geriatrics 20230710 1

<h4>Background</h4>Social frailty is associated with Fear of Falling (FoF) and health-related quality of life (HrQoL). However, how social frailty simultaneously influences FoF and HrQoL remains unclear. The study aims to understand the links between social frailty, FoF, and HrQoL in older adults and the mediating role of FoF in the relations between social frailty and HrQoL.<h4>Methods</h4>In this cross-sectional survey, 1,933 community-dwelling older adults from Changhua County, Taiwan, were i ...[more]

PMID: 37430231

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Project description:Background and purposeFalling among older adults is common and can cause chronic health complications. Fear of falling, a lasting concern about falling that can lead an individual to avoid activities he or she can perform, is strongly associated with falling and fall risk. Although White older adults fall more often, Black older adults have more fall risk factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that explain fear of falling and differences between White and Black community-dwelling older adults in fear of falling, balance confidence, and fall risk factors.MethodsUsing a cross-sectional, retrospective design, 84 community-dwelling older adults (mean age [SD] = 69.0 [5.2], range: 55-80; White, n = 37, 44%; Black, n = 47, 56%, M/F = 20/64) were assessed. Assessments were conducted in a laboratory for human studies. Fall history and risk factors, and subjective fear of falling, were collected. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) score, preferred, backward, and fast Gait Speed, Short Form-12 Physical and Mental Component Scores, fear of falling rating scale, and demographics questionnaires were administered. Analyses included a proportional odds logistic regression model to examine which factors predicted ABC score and which factors were associated with subjective fear of falling, 1-way analysis of variance for continuous variables, the Fisher exact test for categorical variables, and the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test for ordinal variables.ResultsBlack participants had significantly fewer years of education ( P = .007), lower MoCA scores ( P = .002), and slower fast gait speed ( P = .032) than White participants. Black participants reported less subjective fear of falling ( P = .043). In the final ABC model (Akaike information criterion 208.26), lower ABC scores were predicted by White race, slower preferred and fast gait speeds, and worse Short Form-12 Mental Composite Scores.DiscussionDespite Black participants demonstrating typical characteristics of higher fall risk including lower cognitive scores, slower gait speed, and lower ABC scores, Black participants reported fewer falls. Understanding racial differences is an important factor in fear of falling and balance confidence.ConclusionReasons for racial differences should be examined further in fear of falling and balance confidence to facilitate the development of patient-centered falls prevention physical therapy programs.

Dataset Information

Fear of falling as a mediator in the association between social frailty and health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Fear of falling as a mediator in the association between social frailty and health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.

Similar Datasets

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