Disparity in the Fear of Falling Between Urban and Rural Residents in Relation With Socio-economic Variables, Health Issues, and Functional Independency.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate disparities in the fear of falling between urban and rural communities in relation to socio-demographics, health status, and functional level.


METHODS
A total of 974 subjects aged 40 years or older participated in this study (335 urban residents and 639 rural). They completed a questionnaire about socio-demographics, health-related variables, and experience with falls. We employed both direct questioning and the Korean version of Falls Efficacy Scale-International (KFES-I) to investigate fear of falling in terms of perceptive fear and higher level of concern over falling during daily activities. The Korean version of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living was used to assess functional independency.


RESULTS
Aging, female gender, fall history, and the presence of chronic medical problems were independently associated with higher prevalence for the fear of falling. Both perceptive fear of falling and a higher level of concern over falling were more prevalent in the rural senior population compared with those in the urban population when they had the following characteristics: lower income or educational background, physical laborer or unemployed, no chronic medical morbidity, or functional independency in daily activities.


CONCLUSIONS
The disparity in the fear of falling between the two areas is thought to be related to age structure, and it may also exist in healthy or functionally independent senior populations under the influence of socio-environmental factors. A senior population with lower socio-economic status residing in a rural area might be related with a greater vulnerability to the fear of falling. We should consider regional characteristics when we design fall-related studies or develop fall-prevention programs at the community level.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hanyang University Medical Center, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Hyungpil
H
Cho
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hanyang University Medical Center, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Seung Jun
SJ
Seol
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hanyang University Medical Center, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Do Hyun
DH
Yoon
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hanyang University Medical Center, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Mi Jung
MJ
Kim
Department of Preventive Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Bo Youl
BY
Choi
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hanyang University Medical Center, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Taikon
T
Kim
Accidental falls; Activities of daily living; Geriatric assessment