RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FALLS AND FEAR OF FALLING AND SELF-REPORTED DUAL-TASK DIFFICULTIES, COGNITIVE AND PHYSICAL FUNCTIONS IN OLDER ADULTS

Objective: The relationship between falls and fear of falling and self-reported dual-task difficulties and cognitive and physical functions is yet to be determined. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between falls and fear of falling and self-reported cognitive and physical functions and dual-task difficulties in older adults. Method: Fifty older adults were enrolled in this study (29 females/21 males, median age:69). The Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) was used to assess fear of falling, physical functioning subscale of the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (PFS) was applied to assess perceived physical function, Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ) was used to assess perceived cognitive impairment, and Dual-task Questionnaire (DTQ) was administered to evaluate perceived dual-task difficulties. The presence of falls and the number of falls were also documented. Results: A moderate correlation was found between the number of falls and FES-I, CFQ, and PFS (rho=-0.394 to 0.499, p<0.05). However, it was strongly correlated with DTQ (rho=0.553, p<0.05). FES-I was weakly correlated with DTQ (rho=0.287, p<0.05), moderately correlated with the number of falls (rho=0.412), and strongly correlated with PFS (rho=-0.732, p<0.05). There was no correlation between FES-I and CFQ (r=0.243, p<0.05). Regression analysis showed that PFS was the determinant of fear of falling, and the model explained the 51% variance of the FES-I. Conclusion: Overall, the findings suggest that falls and fear of falling may be associated with self-reported physical, cognitive, and dual-task measures and these perceived abilities may be an important screening tool for better-identifying persons with fall risk and fear of falling.