title: Transient versus persistent fear of falling in community-dwelling older adults: incidence and risk factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the incidence of fear of falling (FOF) and the risk factors associated with transient versus persistent FOF in community-dwelling older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bronx County, New York.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred eighty participants without FOF at baseline in the Einstein Aging Study aged 70 and older.
  
  
  METHODS
  FOF was assessed at baseline and during follow-up interviews at 2- to 3-month intervals for a minimum 2 years. Incident FOF was classified as transient or persistent FOF. Transient FOF was defined as new-onset FOF reported at only one interview, and persistent FOF was FOF reported at two or more interviews over a 2-year period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-four-month cumulative incidence of incident FOF was 45.4%, with 60.0% of FOF being persistent. Predictors of incident FOF included female sex (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR)=1.55, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.08-2.23), depressive symptoms (aHR=1.16, 95% CI=1.07-1.26), falls (aHR=1.50, 95% CI=1.01-2.21), and clinical gait abnormality (aHR=2.07, 95% CI=1.42-3.01). The proportion of participants with incident FOF increased linearly with increasing number of risk factors. Predictors for transient and persistent FOF were depressive symptoms and clinical gait abnormality. Female sex and previous falls were predictors of persistent but not transient FOF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FOF status in older adults may change over time, with shared and distinct risk factors for persistent and transient FOF. Understanding the dynamic nature of FOF and these risk factors will help identify high-risk groups and design future intervention studies.
authors: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. mohpark@montefiore.org
authors: Mooyeon
authors: M
authors: Oh-Park
authors: Xiaonan
authors: X
authors: Xue
authors: Roee
authors: R
authors: Holtzer
authors: Joe
authors: J
authors: Verghese
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors