Dataset Information

Social Isolation and Falls Risk: Lack of Social Contacts Decreases the Likelihood of Bathroom Modification Among Older Adults With Fear of Falling.

ABSTRACT: Fall prevention strategies exist, but little is known about factors that influence whether they are used. We assessed whether social isolation modifies the association between fear of falling (FOF) and bathroom environmental modification. Data were included from 2858 Medicare beneficiaries in the National Health and Aging Trends Study. FOF and social isolation were assessed at baseline (2011); new bathroom modifications were assessed 1-year post-baseline. Social network size was dichotomized as any versus no social contacts. Logistic regression assessed associations between FOF and bathroom modification. Effect modification between FOF and social isolation was assessed with multiplicative interaction terms. FOF was associated with increased odds of bathroom modification. We observed a statistically significant interaction between FOF and social isolation (p = 0.03). Among those with no social contacts, FOF was associated with reduced odds bathroom modification that did not reach statistical significance (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.2-1.3).

SUBMITTER: Siefkas AC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10478126 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Social Isolation and Falls Risk: Lack of Social Contacts Decreases the Likelihood of Bathroom Modification Among Older Adults With Fear of Falling.

Siefkas Anna C AC McCarthy Ellen P EP Leff Bruce B Dufour Alyssa B AB Hannan Marian T MT

Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society 20211229 5

Fall prevention strategies exist, but little is known about factors that influence whether they are used. We assessed whether social isolation modifies the association between fear of falling (FOF) and bathroom environmental modification. Data were included from 2858 Medicare beneficiaries in the National Health and Aging Trends Study. FOF and social isolation were assessed at baseline (2011); new bathroom modifications were assessed 1-year post-baseline. Social network size was dichotomized as ...[more]

PMID: 34963354

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Project description:BackgroundGrowing evidence has reported an association between multimorbidity and falls and fear of falling (FOF) in older adults, however, the results regarding this association from China are limited. Our study aimed to investigate the association between multimorbidity and falls and FOF in older adults in eastern China.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study in Zhejiang Province, Eastern China, which recruited a provincial representative sample of adults aged ≥ 60 years. A structured questionnaire including demographic characteristics, chronic diseases, history of falls in the past 12 months, and FOF, was administered by all participants. The exposure variable was multimorbidity, which was defined as the presence of two or more chronic diseases and medical conditions in the same individual. The outcomes included a history of falls and FOF. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between multimorbidity and falls and FOF in older adults.ResultsIn total of 7,774 participants were included in the analysis, among whom 3,898 (50.1%) were female, with a mean ± standard deviation age is 72.9 ± 8.4 years. Multimorbidity was associated with the increased risk of falling in older adults [adjusted odds ratio (OR), 1.99; 95% confidence interval (CI):1.55-2.36]. The ORs for having experienced single fall and repeated falls were 1.85 (95% CI: 1.42-2.42) and 3.45 (95% CI: 1.47-6.97), respectively, with multimorbidity compared with those without chronic diseases. The older adults with multimorbidity were more likely to report FOF compared with those without chronic diseases (adjusted OR, 1.49; 95%CI:1.30-1.70). Moreover, the association between multimorbidity and FOF remained significant in the older adults with a history of fall (OR, 1.57; 95%CI:1.04-2.38).ConclusionThe association between multimorbidity and falls and FOF is significant in the Chinese population and the effects of multimorbidity on falls and FOF do not vary according to the frequency and history of falls in older adults.

Project description:BackgroundFear of falling (FoF) and physical activity (PA) are important psychological and behavioral factors associated with falls. No instrument quantifies the link between these two factors to evaluate the risk of falls. We aimed to design a scale linking FoF with PA (Composite Activities-specific Risk of Falls Scale, CARFS) for people with various disability levels.MethodsFirst, we designed a questionnaire comprising 40 balance-related activities from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) for a pilot survey. Second, participants were interviewed about their activities-specific FoF degree and PA frequency. The participants comprised 30 community-dwelling older adults, hospitalized patients with strokes, and those with spinal cord injuries, each with different disability levels. Third, the content validity of the items was evaluated twice by 12 experienced rehabilitation professionals: one based on experience and the other on the survey responses. Items with a higher than moderate relevance in both evaluations were included in the CARFS. The panel of professionals discussed and voted on the contribution of FoF and PA on the CARF score. Finally, the scale sensitivity in distinguishing disability levels was analyzed to evaluate the population suitability to the CARFS.ResultsThe CARFS included 14 activities. A five-point Likert scale was used to quantify degree of FoF (A) and frequency of PA (B). The CARF score (C), which was determined using the eq. C = A+(4-B) + A × B/2, reflected sensitivity to disability levels in most items.ConclusionsThe CARFS has strong content validity for measuring risk of falls in relation to the FoF and PA of people with various disability levels. It has a potential to provide a guide for designing individualized exercise- and behavior-focused fall prevention programs and enable the precise trtrun 0acking of program effectiveness as a multidimensional outcome measure.

Dataset Information

Social Isolation and Falls Risk: Lack of Social Contacts Decreases the Likelihood of Bathroom Modification Among Older Adults With Fear of Falling.

Publications

Social Isolation and Falls Risk: Lack of Social Contacts Decreases the Likelihood of Bathroom Modification Among Older Adults With Fear of Falling.

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