Jaquelini Betta Canever1, Ana Lúcia Danielewicz1, Amanda Aparecida Oliveira Leopoldino2, Maruí Weber Corseuil1, Núbia Carelli Pereira de Avelar3. 1. Laboratory of Aging, Resources and Rheumatology, Department of Health Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Araranguá, Rod. Governador Jorge Lacerda, 3201, Urussanguinha, Araranguá, Santa Catarina, 88906-072, Brazil. 2. Medical Sciences of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. 3. Laboratory of Aging, Resources and Rheumatology, Department of Health Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Araranguá, Rod. Governador Jorge Lacerda, 3201, Urussanguinha, Araranguá, Santa Catarina, 88906-072, Brazil. nubia.carelli@ufsc.br.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Since fear of falling is associated with a history of falls and is more prevalent in women, it is important to define cut-off points differentiated between genders on the Falls Efficacy Scale International Brazil (FES-I Brazil) to implement early prevention and/or rehabilitation strategies. AIMS: To determine cut-off points on the FES-I Brazil differentiated between genders which discriminate falls and verify their association with the history of falls. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study including 306 community-dwelling older adults. Fear of falling score from the FES-I Brazil was the independent variable and the outcome was the history of falls in the last 12 months. The cut-off points differentiated between genders were established according to sensitivity and specificity values evaluated by the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves (ROC). The multivariable logistic regression was used to verify the association between fear of falling and history of falls. RESULTS: The cut-off points on the FES-I Brazil to discriminate falls were > 25 points [AUC: 0.67 (95% CI 0.59-0.73)] for women, and > 19 points [AUC: 0.66 (95% CI 0.57-0.74) for men, suggesting that women present a greater fear of falling than men, due to the higher cut-off point found for women. Women and men with fear of falling, respectively, had 2.14 (95% CI 1.11-4.13) and 2.62 (95% CI 1.10-6.85) higher odds of suffering falls compared to those without this condition. CONCLUSIONS: The FES-I can be used to discriminate falls in the elderly and shows that women have a higher cut-off point than men on the scale.
BACKGROUND: Since fear of falling is associated with a history of falls and is more prevalent in women, it is important to define cut-off points differentiated between genders on the Falls Efficacy Scale International Brazil (FES-I Brazil) to implement early prevention and/or rehabilitation strategies. AIMS: To determine cut-off points on the FES-I Brazil differentiated between genders which discriminate falls and verify their association with the history of falls. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study including 306 community-dwelling older adults. Fear of falling score from the FES-I Brazil was the independent variable and the outcome was the history of falls in the last 12 months. The cut-off points differentiated between genders were established according to sensitivity and specificity values evaluated by the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves (ROC). The multivariable logistic regression was used to verify the association between fear of falling and history of falls. RESULTS: The cut-off points on the FES-I Brazil to discriminate falls were > 25 points [AUC: 0.67 (95% CI 0.59-0.73)] for women, and > 19 points [AUC: 0.66 (95% CI 0.57-0.74) for men, suggesting that women present a greater fear of falling than men, due to the higher cut-off point found for women. Women and men with fear of falling, respectively, had 2.14 (95% CI 1.11-4.13) and 2.62 (95% CI 1.10-6.85) higher odds of suffering falls compared to those without this condition. CONCLUSIONS: The FES-I can be used to discriminate falls in the elderly and shows that women have a higher cut-off point than men on the scale.
Authors: Klaas A Hartholt; Suzanne Polinder; Tischa J M Van der Cammen; Martien J M Panneman; Nathalie Van der Velde; Esther M M Van Lieshout; Peter Patka; Ed F Van Beeck Journal: Injury Date: 2012-04-27 Impact factor: 2.586