Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
J Safety Res. 2022 Dec;83:96-104. doi: 10.1016/j.jsr.2022.08.007. Epub 2022 Aug 25.
Falls in older adults are associated with increased motor vehicle crash risk, possibly mediated by driving behavior. We examined the relationship of falls and fear of falling (FOF) with subsequent objectively measured driving habits.
This multi-site, prospective cohort study enrolled 2990 active drivers aged 65-79 (53% female). At enrollment, we assessed falls in the past year and FOF (Short Falls Efficacy Scale-International). Driving outcomes included exposure, avoidance of difficult conditions, and unsafe driving during one-year follow-up, using in-vehicle Global Positioning System devices.
Past-year falls were associated with more hard braking events (HBE). High FOF was associated with driving fewer days, miles, and trips, driving nearer home and more HBE. Differences were attenuated and not significant after accounting for health, function, medications and sociodemographics.
Differences in objectively measured driving habits according to past-year fall history and FOF were largely accounted for by differences in health and medications. Rather than directly affecting driving, falls and FOF may serve as markers for crash risk and reduced community mobility due to age-related changes and poor health.
老年人跌倒与机动车事故风险增加相关，其可能与驾驶行为有关。本研究旨在探讨跌倒和对跌倒的恐惧（FOF）与随后的客观测量的驾驶习惯之间的关系。
本多中心前瞻性队列研究纳入了 2990 名年龄在 65-79 岁的活跃驾驶员（53%为女性）。在入组时，我们评估了参与者过去一年的跌倒史和 FOF（国际短距离跌倒效能量表）。使用车载全球定位系统设备，在一年的随访期间，我们评估了驾驶暴露、避免困难条件以及不安全驾驶等驾驶结局。
过去一年的跌倒与更多的急刹车事件（HBE）有关。高 FOF 与驾驶天数、里程和次数减少、驾驶离家更近和更多 HBE 有关。在考虑健康、功能、药物和社会人口统计学因素后，差异减弱且无统计学意义。
根据过去一年的跌倒史和 FOF，客观测量的驾驶习惯差异在很大程度上是由健康和药物差异引起的。跌倒和 FOF 可能不是直接影响驾驶，而是由于年龄相关变化和健康状况不佳导致的事故风险和减少社区活动能力的标志物。
