A longitudinal investigation of fear of falling, fear of pain, and activity avoidance in community-dwelling older adults.
OBJECTIVE
The primary purpose of this study was to examine the role of fear of falling, fear of pain, and associated activity avoidance in the prediction of pain and falls.


METHODS
A 6-month longitudinal study of older community-dwelling adults.


RESULTS
The authors found that fear of falling is a better predictor of falls than is activity avoidance. Moreover, fear of pain did not predict future pain-related avoidance or future pain in the sample of seniors.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings confirm the ability of fear of falling to predict falls but challenge preexisting models developed to account for the relationship between falls and fear. The findings also suggest limits on the generalizability of fear-avoidance models of pain. The authors conclude by suggesting mechanisms that could account for the relationship of fears with falls and pain. Unlike previous conceptualizations, these mechanisms do not rely on activity avoidance as an explanation.
Hadjistavropoulos
Thomas
T
Department of Psychology and Centre on Aging and Health, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, S4S 0A2. hadjistt@uregina.ca
Martin
Ronald R
RR
Sharpe
Donald
D
Lints
Amanda C
AC
McCreary
Donald R
DR
Asmundson
Gordon J G
GJ
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States