Evaluation of the Fear of Falling and Related Risk Factors in Elderly People from Hamadan, Iran: a Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background Falls increase in frequency with age and result in injuries like pelvic fracture which can lead to impaired performance, lifelong disability, hospitalization and even death. (1) Approximately one in three seniors over the age of 65 falls to the ground at least once a year. (2, 3) The high incidence of falls associated with physical injuries in the elderly is a public health problem. There are numerous diverse pathologies inherent to the process of ageing, which may lead to falls in the elderly. These pathologies can be categorized in 4 sections: neurological (e.g., dementia, stroke) musculoskeletal (e.g., osteoporosis, arthritis), cardiovascular (e.g., orthostatic hypotension, syncope) and other (e.g., diabetes, sleep disorders). (4) The main problems related to falls in the elderly include fear of falls, injuries and fractures, decreased mobility, depression, long-term care admission, reduced quality of life and death. (5, 6) Fear of falling can seriously affect the physical performance of the elderly and increase their risk of future falls. In Iran, domestic studies show an increase in the number of elderly people. According to statistics, the proportion of elderly people in the total population has increased from 7.22% in 2006 to 8.2% in 2011. (8) It is estimated that these figures will reach 10.5% in 2025 and 21.7% in 2050. (9) Older people are usually afraid of falling, which is the most common phobia in the elderly and can lead to low self-confidence in doing daily activities in such a way that it will not be possible to perform normal daily activities without the risk of falling. (10, 11) Therefore, fear of falling leads to reduced daily activities and increased physical dependency, nursing home admissions, depression and anxiety and generally reduces the quality of life. In urban India, quality of life in the elderly is affected by impairments and Abstract