Outdoor Environmental Risk Factors for Falls and Fear of Falling: A Systematic Review.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objectives

The objective of this systematic review was to determine the outdoor environmental factors that are associated with increased risk of falls and fear of falling in middle-aged and older adults.

Research design and methods

PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, APA Psych INFO, and CINAHL electronic databases were searched through August 2024 for studies that included participants 45 years or older, falls or fear of falling as an outcome, and measured the outdoor environment (i.e., uneven sidewalks, neighborhood disorder). Title and abstract screenings, full-text screenings, and critical appraisal assessments were independently reviewed.

Results

The search retrieved 7,474 records, 627 full texts were reviewed, and 51 unique studies met the inclusion/exclusion

SUBMITTER: Dunlap PM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12048802 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature