Loss-related self-perceptions of aging are associated with greater concerns about falling in older adults

OBJECTIVES: Concerns about falling (CaF) are prevalent among older adults and associated with various negative health outcomes. It is important to identify potential risk and protective factors of CaF. Because little is known about the role of self-perceptions of aging (SPA) for CaF, this study investigated the relationship between SPA and CaF and explored whether chronic diseases moderate the association. METHOD: This cross-sectional study examined a sample of 150 German community-dwelling older adults aged 71-93 (mean age = 80.5 years). We used two structural equation models to investigate associations of domain-specific SPA (SPA physical losses and ongoing development) with CaF. Additional models contained a latent interaction term to examine the potential interaction between SPA and chronic diseases. RESULTS: Higher SPA physical losses (but not SPA ongoing development) and more chronic diseases were related to higher levels of CaF, controlling for confounding variables (i.e. sociodemographic indicators, self-reported occurrence of fall(s), physical functioning, and cognitive performance). The interaction terms of both SPA with number of chronic diseases did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Independent of the number of chronic diseases, higher loss-related SPA, but not lower gain-related SPA, are associated with greater CaF.