ArticleOsteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA2021
"Fear of falling serves as protection and signifies potential danger": a qualitative study to conceptualise the phrase "fear of falling" in women with osteoporosis.
Article in Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 23 citations in OpenAlex.
- Is frailty associated with increased concerns about falling and activity restriction in community-dwelling older adults? A systematic review.The Journal of frailty & aging · 2025Pooled it
- Falls and physical function in older patients with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): findings from a placebo controlled, double blinded randomized control trial (RCT) investigating efficacy of vitamin D treatment in lowering the recurrence rate of BPPV.Aging clinical and experimental research · 2025Trial
- Claims-based frailty index and risk of hospitalisation for hip fracture among adults aged 60-74 years in Tokyo, Japan.Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2026Article
- Threats and responses: a qualitative study on the early postoperative ambulation experiences of older patients with kinesiophobia after total hip arthroplasty in Western China.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2026Article
- Barriers and Facilitators to Self-Care Behaviors in People Living with Osteoporosis: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.Nursing reports (Pavia, Italy) · 2026Article
- The impact of frailty and fear of falling on health-related quality of life in older adults with osteoporosis: a cross-sectional study.BMC geriatrics · 2025Article
- Subcortical brain volume changes linked to concern of falling in multiple sclerosis: a structural MRI study.Journal of neurology · 2025Article
- Assessment of Static Balance Metrics in Community-Dwelling Older Adults Categorized Using the Fall Risk Appraisal Matrix.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Older adults' experiences of being screened for fall risk in a clinical setting: a focus group study.European geriatric medicine · 2024Article
- A concept analysis of fear of falling in older adults: insights from qualitative research studies.BMC geriatrics · 2023Article
- 'It Makes Me Feel Old': Understanding the Experience of Recovery From Ankle Fracture at 6 Months in People Aged 50 Years and Over.Qualitative health research · 2023Article
- A Protection Motivation Theory Approach to Understanding How Fear of Falling Affects Physical Activity Determinants in Older Adults.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2023Article
- Fear of Falling and Environmental Factors: A Scoping Review.Annals of geriatric medicine and research · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Fear of falling (FoF) was described as a dichotomy, whereby FoF on one hand posed a threat to the sense of security but on the other hand provided protection against harm through increased awareness and cautious behaviour. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of FoF for women with osteoporosis.
introductionFear of falling is a major problem for many individuals in society and it increases with age; it is more common among women, especially women with a diagnosis of osteoporosis. It is important to gain a deeper understanding of the concept of fear of falling among women with osteoporosis to be able to devise fall prevention programmes to address fear of falling in the most appropriate way. Therefore, we aimed to explore and describe how older women with osteoporosis and self-reported balance deficits conceptualise their fear of falling
methodsA qualitative study with individual interviews was carried out, using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed with inductive qualitative content analysis. The study includes 25 informants, all women with osteoporosis aged 66-85 years.
resultsThe analysis resulted in one overarching theme, "Fear of falling is a protection and danger", and three main themes: "Fear of falling is a sense of unease", "Fear of falling is to be vulnerable", and "Fear of falling is a call for help".
conclusionThe concept of fear of falling was perceived in terms of emotional states as well as cognitive and active strategies and was described in the context of being able to protect oneself in order to stay safe and secure. The concept was described as a dichotomy, whereby fear of falling on the one hand posed a threat to the sense of security but on the other hand provided protection against harm through increased awareness and cautious behaviour. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of fear of falling and how it could be seen from both a positive and negative perspective.
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