Abstract
Ageing is associated with increased morbidity, increased fear of falling (FOF) and reduced activity. These may consequently impair the quality of life (QOL) of the elderly. Studies from Africa investigating FOF and its relationship with QOL among elderly individuals are rare. This study investigated the prevalence of FOF and QOL of apparently-healthy elderly residents of two Local Government Areas (LGAs) from Anambra State, Nigeria and also determined the relationship between the two variables. Two hundred and sixty-one (131 males and 130 females) volunteering elderly individuals, from three randomly-selected communities from each of the LGAs, participated in this cross-sectional survey. The Modified Fall Efficacy Scale (MFES) and the Short-Form Health Survey 36-item (SF-36) questionnaire were used to evaluate FOF and QOL respectively. Data were analysed using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation, Chi-square, Independent t-test, Pearson correlation and multivariate regression analysis statistics. Alpha level was set at 0.05. FOF was markedly prevalent in the population at 23.4 % and the QOL score of 55.27 ± 17.28 was just modest. QOL was particularly low in the role limitations due to the physical and emotional problems domains but high in the mental health, social function and bodily pain domains. Significant relationship was found between FOF and all the QOL domains. FOF was present in nearly one of every four elderly individuals in the sample and was related to their QOL. FOF should be routinely investigated in community-dwelling elderly and strategies devised to combat it.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chamberlain, M. E., Fulwider, B. D., Sanders, S. L., & Medeiros, J. M. (2005). Does fear of falling influence spatial and temporal gait parameters in elderly persons beyond changes associated with normal ageing. Journal of Gerontology A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 60, 1163–1167.
Cress, M. E., Petrella, J. K., Moore, T. L., & Schenkman, M. L. (2005). Continuos-scale physical function performance test: validity, reliability, and sensitivity of data for the short version. Physical Therapy, 85, 323–335.
Cumming, R. G., Sacled, G., Thomas, M., & Szonyi, G. (2000). Prospective study of the impact of fear of falling on activies of daily living, SF 36 Scores and nursing home admission. Journal of Gerontology A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 55, M299–M305.
Delbaere, K., Close, J. C. T., Brodaty, H., Sachdev, P., & Lord, S. R. (2010). Determinants of disparities between perceived and physiological risk of falling among elderly people: cohort study. British Medical Journal, 341, c4165.
Fletcher, P. C., & Hiredes, J. P. (2004). Restriction in activity associated with fear of falling among community-based seniors using home care services. Age and Ageing, 33(3), 273–9.
Friedman, S. M., Munoz, B., West, S. K., Rubin, G. S., & Fried, L. P. (2002). Falls and fear of falling: which comes first? A Longitudinal Prediction Model Suggests Strategies for Primary and Secondary Prevention. Journal of American Geriatrics Society, 50, 1329–1335.
Hill, K. D., Schwarz, J. A., Kalogeroupoulos, A., & Gibson, S. (1996). Fear of falling revisited. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 77, 1025–1029.
Howland, J., Lachman, M. E., Peterson, E. W., Cote, J., Kasten, L., & Jette, A. (1998). Covariates of fear of falling and associated activity curtailment. Gerontologist, 38, 549–555.
Iglesias, C. P., Manca, A., & Torgerson, D. J. (2009). The health-related quality of life and cost implications of falls in elderly women. Osteoporosis International, 20, 869–878. doi:10.1007/s00198-008-0753-5.
Lachman, M. E., Howland, J., Tennstedt, S., Jette, A., Assman, S., & Peterson, E. W. (1998). Fear of falling and activity restriction : the survey of activities and fear of falling in the elderly. Journal of Gerontology B. Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 53, P43–P50.
Landrot Mde, R., Perrot, C., Blanc, P., Beauchet, O., Blanchon, M. A., & Gonthier, R. (2007). Does the care for the fear of falling bring a profit to community living elderly people who had experienced falls? Psychologie & Neuropsychiatrie du Vieillissement, 5(3), 225–34.
Legters, K. (2002). Fear of falling (Update). Physical Therapy, 82, 264–272.
Lin, M. R., Wolf, S. L., Hwang, H. F., Gong, S. Y., & Chen, C. Y. (2007). A randomized, controlled trial of fall prevention programs and quality of life in older fallers. Journal of American Geriatric Society, 55, 499–506.
Lopes, K. T., Costa, D. F., Santos, L. F., Castro, D. P., & Bastone, A. C. (2009). Prevalence of fear of falling among a population of older adults and its correlation with mobility, dynamic balance, risk and history of falls. Revista Brasileira de Fisioterapia, 13(3), 223–9.
Mackintosh, S. F., Hill, K., Dodd, K. J., Goldie, P., & Culham, E. (2005). Falls and injury prevention should be part of every stroke rehabilitation plan. Clinical Rehabilitation, 19(4), 441–451.
Mekongo, Y. P., De Breucker, S., Delvaux, N., & Pepersack, T. (2007). Fear of falling in older people. Revue Médicale de Bruxelles, 28(1), 27–31.
Nomura, T., Futaki, T., & Notoya, M. (2007). Factors affecting activity restriction associated with fear of falling in elderly Japanese. Journal of Tsuruma Health Sciences and Social Sciences Kanazawa University, 31(2), 15–24. 7.
Olaniyan, O., Olayiwola, S., & Odubunmi, S. (2011). The impact of health expenditure on the elderly in Nigeria. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, 8(4), 212–218.
Petrella, R. J., Payne, M., Myers, A., Overend, T., & Chestworth, B. (2000). Physical function and fear of falling after hip fracture rehabilitation in the elderly. American Journal of Physical Rehabilitation, 79, 154–160.
Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision
Weerdesteyn, V., de Niet, M., van Duijnhoven, H. J. R., & Geurts, A. C. H. (2008). Falls in individuals with stroke. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 45(8), 1195–1214.
White, S. M., Wojcicki, T. R., & Mccauley, E. (2009). Physical activity quality of life in community-dwelling older adults. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 7, 10.
Zijlstra, G. A. R., van Haastregt, C. M., van Eijk, J. T. M., van Rossum, E., Stalenhoef, P. A., & Kempen, G. I. J. M. (2007). Prevalence and correlates of fear of falling, and associated avoidance of activity in the general population of community-living older people. Age and Ageing, 36, 304–309.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Akosile, C.O., Anukam, G.O., Johnson, O.E. et al. Fear of Falling and Quality of Life of Apparently-Healthy Elderly Individuals from a Nigerian Population. J Cross Cult Gerontol 29, 201–209 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-014-9228-7
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-014-9228-7