Work

Fear of falling in older adults: The role of fear of dependency and tiredness as key determinants

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: FEAR OF FALLING (FOF) IS A MULTIFACTORIAL CONDITION WITH ADVERSE HEALTH OUTCOMES. OBJECTIVE: This study explored factors associated with FoF in community-dwelling older adults, with a particular focus on the role of fear of dependency and tiredness as potential determinants, building on the Multifactorial Causation Model of Falls and Fear of Falling proposed by Hadjistavropoulos et al. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 509 adults aged ≥65 evaluated sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological factors. Simple and multiple linear regressions were used to identify FoF-related factors. RESULTS: FoF was significantly higher in women and increased with age. Other significant predictors included greater fear of dependency, poorer visual acuity, lower levels of physical activity, greater number of falls in the previous year, higher anxiety, tiredness, and lower mobility/balance (TUG) - which showed the strongest association with FoF (p < 0.05). The multiple regression model explained 47.3% of the variance in FoF. CONCLUSION: Fear of dependency and tiredness were significant predictors of FoF and may represent additional determinants of FoF in community-dwelling older adults.

Source: Geriatric Nursing

DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2026.104088

Authors: Patrícia Maria Pires, Joana Carvalho, Telma Pires, Carlos Pires, Oscar Ribeiro