TY - JOUR
T1 - Relationship Between Fear of Falling and Physical Activity in People Aging With a Disability
AU - Matsuda, Patricia N.
AU - Eagen, Thomas
AU - Hreha, Kimberly P.
AU - Finlayson, Marcia L.
AU - Molton, Ivan R.
N1 - Funding Information:
The contents of this manuscript were developed under a grant from National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR; grant number 90RT5023-01-00). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The authors declare no conflicts of interest with respect to this study. In these groups of people with disabilities, which factor was most associated with decreased physical activity during the survey time period? a. Prior falls b. Fear of falling c. Age d. Mobility Answer online at http://me.aapmr.org
Funding Information:
Participants for these analyses were from the fourth time‐point of a longitudinal survey conducted by the University of Washington, as part of a Rehabilitation Research and Training Center funded by the Administration on Community Living. Time point 4 was selected due to inclusion of fear of falling and self‐reported fall assessment measures. Study participants were recruited initially through existing registries of individuals with long‐term physical disabilities who were interested in participating in research (47%), through web and print advertisements distributed through national disability organizations (40%), and through other sources, such as clinic flyers (13%). Individuals who were interested in participating were screened by research staff over the phone. Eligibility requirements included the following: being at least 18 years of age; ability to read and write in English; and having a self‐reported diagnosis of MS, MD (muscular dystrophy), SCI, or PPS (including having a history of polio or polio sequelae). All eligible and interested individuals received a paper survey, written consent form, and a postage‐paid return envelope. All participants provided written consent prior to participation and all study procedures were approved by the institutional review board at the University of Washington.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
PY - 2020/5/1
Y1 - 2020/5/1
N2 - Background: An estimated one billion people worldwide live with some form of disability and may face many challenges as they age, including increased fall risk. Understanding the risk factors linking falls, fear of falling, and activity restriction is critical for developing effective programs to increase activity levels among persons with disabilities. Objectives: To determine if differences exist in the level of physical activity in people with different types of conditions associated with disability and to investigate if fear of falling is associated with physical activity in individuals who are aging with a long-term disability. Design: Cross-sectional retrospective design. Setting: Community. Participants: A convenience sample of 1812 community-dwelling individuals who had one of four diagnoses: multiple sclerosis (MS), muscular dystrophy (MD), spinal cord injury (SCI), or post-polio syndrome (PPS). Methods: Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and analysis of variance, followed by multivariate linear regression analysis were used to examine the association between physical activity status and fear of falling. Main Outcome Measurements: Physical activity volume and fear of falling. Results: After controlling for age, sex, duration of disability, and mobility level, there was variation across diagnostic groups (P <.001). People with SCI reported greater physical activity (M = 25.19) compared to other groups (MS: M = 18.70; MD: M = 21.83; PPS: M = 15.47). Patients with PPS had the greatest concerns about falling (M = 16.08), and patients with MS had the lowest (M = 13.12). Fear of falling was associated with physical activity (P <.001), which remained significant after controlling for diagnosis type, falls history, and level of mobility. Conclusion: Level of physical activity appears to vary among disability diagnoses. These results highlight the importance of addressing fear of falling in people with long-term disability because fear of falling is associated with physical activity.
AB - Background: An estimated one billion people worldwide live with some form of disability and may face many challenges as they age, including increased fall risk. Understanding the risk factors linking falls, fear of falling, and activity restriction is critical for developing effective programs to increase activity levels among persons with disabilities. Objectives: To determine if differences exist in the level of physical activity in people with different types of conditions associated with disability and to investigate if fear of falling is associated with physical activity in individuals who are aging with a long-term disability. Design: Cross-sectional retrospective design. Setting: Community. Participants: A convenience sample of 1812 community-dwelling individuals who had one of four diagnoses: multiple sclerosis (MS), muscular dystrophy (MD), spinal cord injury (SCI), or post-polio syndrome (PPS). Methods: Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and analysis of variance, followed by multivariate linear regression analysis were used to examine the association between physical activity status and fear of falling. Main Outcome Measurements: Physical activity volume and fear of falling. Results: After controlling for age, sex, duration of disability, and mobility level, there was variation across diagnostic groups (P <.001). People with SCI reported greater physical activity (M = 25.19) compared to other groups (MS: M = 18.70; MD: M = 21.83; PPS: M = 15.47). Patients with PPS had the greatest concerns about falling (M = 16.08), and patients with MS had the lowest (M = 13.12). Fear of falling was associated with physical activity (P <.001), which remained significant after controlling for diagnosis type, falls history, and level of mobility. Conclusion: Level of physical activity appears to vary among disability diagnoses. These results highlight the importance of addressing fear of falling in people with long-term disability because fear of falling is associated with physical activity.
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U2 - 10.1002/pmrj.12289
DO - 10.1002/pmrj.12289
M3 - Article
C2 - 31736266
AN - SCOPUS:85076739520
VL - 12
SP - 454
EP - 461
JO - PM and R
JF - PM and R
SN - 1934-1482
IS - 5
ER -