Arfken C L, Lach H W, Birge S J, Miller J P
Division of Biostatistics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110.
Am J Public Health. 1994 Apr;84(4):565-70. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.4.565.
Fear of falling has been recognized as a potentially debilitating consequence of falling in elderly persons. However, the prevalence and the correlates of this fear are unknown.
Prevalence of fear of falling was calculated from the 1-year follow-up of an age- and gender-stratified random sample of community-dwelling elderly persons. Cross-sectional associations of fear of falling with quality of life, frailty, and falling were assessed.
The prevalence of fear increased with age and was greater in women. After adjustment for age and gender, being moderately fearful of falling was associated with decreased satisfaction with life, increased frailty and depressed mood, and recent experience with falls. Being very fearful of falling was associated with all of the above plus decreased mobility and social activities.
Fear of falling is common in elderly persons and is associated with decreased quality of life, increased frailty, and recent experience with falls.
害怕跌倒已被认为是老年人跌倒可能导致的一种使人衰弱的后果。然而,这种恐惧的患病率及其相关因素尚不清楚。
通过对按年龄和性别分层的社区居住老年人随机样本进行1年随访,计算出害怕跌倒的患病率。评估了害怕跌倒与生活质量、身体虚弱和跌倒之间的横断面关联。
害怕跌倒的患病率随年龄增长而增加,女性患病率更高。在对年龄和性别进行调整后,中度害怕跌倒与生活满意度降低、身体虚弱加剧、情绪低落以及近期有跌倒经历有关。非常害怕跌倒则与上述所有情况相关,还与行动能力和社交活动减少有关。
害怕跌倒在老年人中很常见,并且与生活质量下降、身体虚弱加剧以及近期有跌倒经历有关。