Age and Ageing Advance Access originally published online on March 26, 2004
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Age and Ageing 2004; 33: 368-373
Age and Ageing Vol. 33 No. 4 © British Geriatrics Society 2004; all rights reserved
Research Paper |
Fear-related avoidance of activities, falls and physical frailty. A prospective community-based cohort study
1 Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2 Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium
Address correspondence to: K. Delbaere, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, University Hospital Ghent – De Pintelaan 185 (6K3), B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Fax: (+32) 9 240 38 11. Email: Kim.Delbaere{at}UGent.be
Abstract
Objective: to investigate the relationship between fear-related avoidance of activities and physical frailty.
Subjects and methods: fear-related avoidance of activities, physical performance, maximal isometric muscle strength and postural control were assessed in 225 community-living elderly (94 men and 131 women), aged between 61 and 92 years of age.
Results: bivariate analyses revealed significant correlations between avoidance of activities on the one hand, and physical performance, muscle strength, forward endpoint excursion of the centre of gravity, and previous falls on the other hand. Logistic regression analysis revealed that fear of falling and avoidance of activities in daily life were predictive of falls within a 1-year follow-up, together with general fear of falling, old age and being female.
Conclusions: fear-related avoidance of activities may have negative effects on physical abilities and may also be predictive for future falls. Avoidance of activities is therefore an important additional psychological variable in the development of physical frailty and falling in community-living elderly.
Keywords: avoidance of activities, fear of falling, elderly, physical frailty
Received September 2, 2003; Revision received January 14, 2004. accepted in revised form January 14, 2004.
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