title: The impact of falls and fear of falling on health-related quality of life in Taiwanese elderly.
abstract: This study aimed to investigate the relationship among falls, fear of falling (FOF), and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in elderly people living in the community. The study was a community-based surveillance with residents aged 65 or over in Taipei, Taiwan. Data were collected in face-to-face interviews. Of the 4,056 participants, the prevalence of falls was 13.8% and the prevalence of FOF among women (62.6%) was significantly higher than that among men (46.2%). Adjusted by covariate factors, fear of falling was identified as a major factor related to HRQOL in the elderly and should be emphasized to assist the improvement of HRQOL in geriatrics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Kang-Ning Junior College of Medical Care and Management, Community Medicine Research Center and Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Shih-Pai 112, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Nien-Tzu
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Lin-Yang
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Nan-Ping
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Pesus
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chou
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data