Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine factors related to fear of falling (FOF) in elderly adults who showed no reduced performance regarding independent instrumental activities of daily living (IADL).
Methods: A total of 119 elderly adults participated in the study (mean age, 75.7±7.2 years, women, n=60). We investigated the prevalence of FOF, anamnesis, medications, body pain, and history of falls, the Geriatric Depression Scale, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Life-Space Assessment (LSA). The Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and one-legged standing time were measured to evaluate physical performance. Participants were divided into elderly adults with FOF (FOF group) and those without FOF (non-FOF group). The unpaired t-test or chi-square test was used for group comparisons. Multiple logistic regression analysis was then performed to examine the factors associated with FOF.
Results: The prevalence of FOF was 51.3% overall. The FOF group had a higher prevalence of anamnesis, body pain, and history of falls than the non-FOF group. The FOF group had lower LSA scores, longer durations on the TUG, and shorter durations on the one-legged standing test than the non-FOF group. On multiple logistic regression analysis, LSA (total score, 120 points) was significantly associated with FOF (odds ratio: 0.96, 95% confidence interval=0.93-0.99).
Conclusion: Fear of falling was significantly associated with life space in community-dwelling elderly adults who showed no reduced performance regarding IADL. In future, it will be necessary to clarify any possible causal relationship by longitudinal investigations.