Determinants of disparities between perceived and physiological risk of falling among elderly people: cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
To gain an understanding of elderly people's fear of falling by exploring the prevalence and determinants of perceived and physiological fall risk and to understand the role of disparities in perceived and physiological risk in the cause of falls.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
Community sample drawn from eastern Sydney, Australia.


METHODS
500 men and women aged 70-90 years.


METHODS
Baseline assessment of medical, physiological, and neuropsychological measures, with physiological fall risk estimated with the physiological profile assessment, and perceived fall risk estimated with the falls efficacy scale international. Participants were followed up monthly for falls over one year.


RESULTS
Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that perceived and physiological fall risk were both independent predictors of future falls. Classification tree analysis was used to split the sample into four groups (vigorous, anxious, stoic, and aware) based on the disparity between physiological and perceived risk of falling. Perceived fall risk was congruent with physiological fall risk in the vigorous (144 (29%)) and aware (202 (40%)) groups. The anxious group (54 (11%)) had a low physiological risk but high perceived fall risk, which was related to depressive symptoms (P=0.029), neurotic personality traits (P=0.026), and decreased executive functioning (P=0.010). The stoic group (100 (20%)) had a high physiological risk but low perceived fall risk, which was protective for falling and mediated through a positive outlook on life (P=0.001) and maintained physical activity and community participation (P=0.048).


CONCLUSIONS
Many elderly people underestimated or overestimated their risk of falling. Such disparities between perceived and physiological fall risk were primarily associated with psychological measures and strongly influenced the probability of falling. Measures of both physiological and perceived fall risk should be included in fall risk assessments to allow tailoring of interventions for preventing falls in elderly people.
Delbaere
Kim
K
Falls and Balance Research Group, Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW 2031, Sydney, Australia.
Close
Jacqueline C T
JC
Brodaty
Henry
H
Sachdev
Perminder
P
Lord
Stephen R
SR
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D009517:New South Wales; D010465:Perception; D010808:Physical Examination; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors