title: Depressive symptoms associated with concerns about falling in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Concerns about falling, a construct related to fear of falling, is increased in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and is recognized as a barrier for exercise, negatively affecting health-related quality of life and participation.
  
  
  
  To investigate modifiable factors associated with concerns about falling in elderly with mild-to-moderate PD.
  
  
  
  Eighty-nine elderly (39 females, mean age 73 years) with mild-to-moderate PD were recruited. Concerns about falling were assessed with the Falls Efficacy Scale-international, that is, the dependent variable in multiple linear regression analysis. Independent variables included both motor (e.g., objective measures of physical activity and gait) and nonmotor aspects such as depressive symptoms.
  
  
  
  A model with three significant independent variables explained 33% of the variance in concerns about falling. According to the standardized regression coefficients (β), the strongest contributing factor was depressive symptoms (0.40), followed by balance performance (-0.25), and use of mobility devices (0.24).
  
  
  
  The findings imply that factors associated with concerns about falling are a multifactorial phenomenon. For its management in elderly with mild-to-moderate PD, one should consider depressive symptoms, balance deficits, and mobility devices.
authors: Division of Physiotherapy Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society Karolinska Institutet Huddinge Sweden; Department of Physical Therapy Karolinska University Hospital Solna Sweden.
authors: Erika
authors: E
authors: Franzén
authors: Division of Physiotherapy Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society Karolinska Institutet Huddinge Sweden; Department of Physical Therapy Karolinska University Hospital Solna Sweden.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Conradsson
authors: Division of Physiotherapy Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society Karolinska Institutet Huddinge Sweden; Department of Physical Therapy Karolinska University Hospital Solna Sweden.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Hagströmer
authors: Department of Health Sciences Lund University Lund Sweden.
authors: Maria H
authors: MH
authors: Nilsson
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: balance; depression; fear of falling; mobility devices; physical activity