title: Depressive symptoms and fear of falling in previously community-dwelling older persons recovering from proximal femoral fracture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Depression and fear of falling are common problems following proximal femoral fracture. The role of fear of falling in depressive symptoms after such a fracture has not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to establish possible changes during recovery in fear of falling and depressive symptoms following rehabilitation in this population and to explore their association.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study with pre-post design at a single geriatric rehabilitation hospital in Germany. Data were collected during in-hospital rehabilitation and four months later at participants' home. The data of 51 participants living in the community at the time of fracture could be analysed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fear of falling, depressive symptoms, cognition, pain, ADL functioning, and physical performance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although physical and ADL performance improved between admission to rehabilitation and follow-up four months later, the prevalence of depressive symptoms increased, and levels of fear of falling remained at the same level. There was a significant correlation between fear of falling and depressive symptoms at follow-up, but the two were not significantly correlated at baseline. Fear of falling and depressive symptoms were not significantly associated in a path analysis model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fear of falling and depressive symptoms are highly prevalent after proximal femoral fracture. Yet there seems to be no simple association between either psychological parameter in older persons recovering from fall-related fractures. Further research is warranted, in order to develop interventions targeting these psychological outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Rehabilitation Hospital, Robert-Bosch Krankenhaus, Auerbachstrasse 110, 70376 Stuttgart, Germany. petra.benzinger@rbk.de.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Benzinger
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Rixt Zijlstra
authors.forename: Rixt G A
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Zijstra
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lindemann
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nicolai
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hoffrichter
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jamour
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019058:Community Networks; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male