Stina B Jonasson1,2, Susann Ullén3, Susanne Iwarsson1, Jan Lexell1,2, Maria H Nilsson1,4. 1. Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. 2. Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. 3. R & D Centre, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. 4. Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Fear of falling can be conceptualized in different ways, e.g., as concerns about falling or low fall-related self-efficacy. It is common in people with Parkinson's disease (PD), and there is growing knowledge about its contributing factors. However, previous multivariate studies have mainly focused on fear of falling in relation to PD-related disabilities, and less is known about the associations between fear of falling and personal and environmental factors. OBJECTIVE: To identify explanatory factors of concerns about falling in people with PD by focusing on personal and environmental factors as well as PD-related disabilities. METHODS: Data were collected from 241 persons with PD (39% women, median age 70 years, PD duration 8 years). Concerns about falling (assessed with the Falls Efficacy Scale-International, FES-I; categorized into low, moderate, or high concerns) were used as the dependent variable in a multivariate ordinal regression analysis. Personal factors, environmental factors and PD-related disabilities constituted independent variables. RESULTS: Low, moderate and high concerns about falling were reported by 29% , 24% and 47% of the participants, respectively. Walking difficulties, orthostatism, motor symptoms, age, and fatigue (presented in order of importance) were significant (p < 0.05) explanatory factors of concerns about falling. CONCLUSIONS: Several factors significantly explained concerns about falling in people with PD. Walking difficulties was by far the strongest explanatory factor. This suggests that minimizing walking difficulties should be a primary target when aiming at reducing concerns about falling in people with PD.
BACKGROUND: Fear of falling can be conceptualized in different ways, e.g., as concerns about falling or low fall-related self-efficacy. It is common in people with Parkinson's disease (PD), and there is growing knowledge about its contributing factors. However, previous multivariate studies have mainly focused on fear of falling in relation to PD-related disabilities, and less is known about the associations between fear of falling and personal and environmental factors. OBJECTIVE: To identify explanatory factors of concerns about falling in people with PD by focusing on personal and environmental factors as well as PD-related disabilities. METHODS: Data were collected from 241 persons with PD (39% women, median age 70 years, PD duration 8 years). Concerns about falling (assessed with the Falls Efficacy Scale-International, FES-I; categorized into low, moderate, or high concerns) were used as the dependent variable in a multivariate ordinal regression analysis. Personal factors, environmental factors and PD-related disabilities constituted independent variables. RESULTS: Low, moderate and high concerns about falling were reported by 29% , 24% and 47% of the participants, respectively. Walking difficulties, orthostatism, motor symptoms, age, and fatigue (presented in order of importance) were significant (p < 0.05) explanatory factors of concerns about falling. CONCLUSIONS: Several factors significantly explained concerns about falling in people with PD. Walking difficulties was by far the strongest explanatory factor. This suggests that minimizing walking difficulties should be a primary target when aiming at reducing concerns about falling in people with PD.
Authors: Katharina Scholz; Johanna Geritz; Jennifer Kudelka; Marten Rogalski; Katharina Niemann; Corina Maetzler; Julius Welzel; Michael Drey; Tino Prell; Walter Maetzler Journal: Front Med (Lausanne) Date: 2022-06-21
Authors: Taylor Chomiak; Alexander Watts; Jacqueline Burt; Richard Camicioli; Sun Nee Tan; Martin J McKeown; Bin Hu Journal: NPJ Parkinsons Dis Date: 2018-08-20