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. 2017 Apr 27;14(5):469.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph14050469.

Prospective Study on the Impact of Fear of Falling on Functional Decline among Community Dwelling Elderly Women

Kyungwon Choi  1 , Gyeong-Suk Jeon  2 , Sung-Il Cho  3
Affiliations

Prospective Study on the Impact of Fear of Falling on Functional Decline among Community Dwelling Elderly Women

Kyungwon Choi et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Fear of falling (FOF) is expected to have effects on functional decline in the elderly. In this study, we examined over 2 years the effect of change in FOF on functional decline in community dwelling elderly. We conducted a secondary analysis using data from elderly women, 70 years of age and older, who participated in the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA). Participants were divided into four categories according to change in FOF between the 2010 and 2012 surveys. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted regarding the effects of changes in FOF on functional decline after controlling for variables as known risk factors for functional decline. Rates of functional decline were highest in the "consistently having FOF" group, whereas they were lowest in the "consistently no FOF" group in both 2010 and 2012. Characteristics independently associated with functional decline were change in FOF, depressive symptoms, low frequency of meeting friends, and fear-induced activity avoidance. Longer exposure to FOF was associated with an increased risk of functional decline. FOF is an important health problem that deserves attention in its own right. Public health approaches for elderly persons should address early detection, prevention, and intervention programs for FOF.

Keywords: disability; elderly; fear of falling; functional decline.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors of this manuscript do not have any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence (bias) our work. All authors of this manuscript declare that there is no any potential conflicts of interest include employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications/registrations, and grants or other funding.

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