Almarwani Maha
Department of Health Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, 11433, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
BMC Geriatr. 2024 Aug 8;24(1):666. doi: 10.1186/s12877-024-05269-7.
Saudi Arabia, like many nations globally, is experiencing a demographic shift towards an aging population. With this demographic shift, falls and the fear of falling (FOF) emerge as serious public health concerns among community-dwelling older adults. Addressing misconceptions and enhancing awareness regarding fall risks among older adults holds significant importance, offering insights for informing targeted interventions and enhancing well-being. This study aimed to examine knowledge and perceptions of fall risk among community-dwelling older women in Saudi Arabia.
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 150 Saudi older women, with a mean age (SD) of 63.98 (4.90) years. Participants completed questionnaires assessing fall history, fall knowledge, fall perception, the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), Timed Up and Go (TUG), and the Barthel Index. Fall knowledge and perception were assessed using previously constructed statements translated into Arabic and carried out in interviewer-administered forms.
Nearly half of the participants reported experiencing at least one fall in the previous 12 months. Despite good knowledge of falls, some gaps were identified, particularly regarding the awareness of social isolation as a consequence of falls. Participants demonstrated positive perceptions towards fall prevention programs but also highlighted misconceptions regarding aging and falls. FOF was prevalent, with higher levels identified among participants without a history of falls.
Multidimensional strategies are needed to address falls and FOF among community-dwelling older women in Saudi Arabia. Leveraging existing knowledge and perceptions towards fall prevention and implementing evidence-based interventions can reduce the burden of falls and enhance health outcomes in older adults. Future research should focus on diverse samples and evaluate the feasibility of implementing fall prevention interventions within Saudi Arabia's healthcare systems.
与全球许多国家一样，沙特阿拉伯正经历人口结构向老龄化转变。随着这种人口结构转变，跌倒以及对跌倒的恐惧（FOF）成为社区居住的老年人中严重的公共卫生问题。消除误解并提高老年人对跌倒风险的认识至关重要，可为制定有针对性的干预措施和增进福祉提供见解。本研究旨在调查沙特阿拉伯社区居住的老年女性对跌倒风险的知识和认知。
对150名沙特老年女性进行了一项横断面研究，她们的平均年龄（标准差）为63.98（4.90）岁。参与者完成了问卷调查，评估跌倒史、跌倒知识、跌倒认知、国际跌倒效能量表（FES-I）、计时起立行走测试（TUG）和巴氏指数。跌倒知识和认知通过先前构建并翻译成阿拉伯语的陈述进行评估，并以访谈员管理的形式进行。
近一半的参与者报告在过去12个月中至少经历过一次跌倒。尽管对跌倒有一定的了解，但仍发现了一些差距，特别是在对跌倒导致社会隔离的认识方面。参与者对预防跌倒计划表现出积极的看法，但也强调了对衰老和跌倒的误解。FOF很普遍，在没有跌倒史的参与者中水平更高。
需要采取多维度策略来解决沙特阿拉伯社区居住的老年女性中的跌倒和FOF问题。利用现有的预防跌倒知识和认知并实施循证干预措施，可以减轻跌倒负担并改善老年人的健康状况。未来的研究应侧重于多样化的样本，并评估在沙特阿拉伯医疗保健系统中实施预防跌倒干预措施的可行性。
