ArticleBMC geriatrics2023
The association of fear of falling and physical and mental Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) among community-dwelling older persons; a cross-sectional study of Urban Health Centres Europe (UHCE).
Article in BMC geriatrics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The global prevalence of and risk factors for fear of falling among older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC geriatrics · 2024Pooled it
- Trial
- Path model explaining the association between fear of falling and health-related quality of life in (pre-)frail older adults.BMC geriatrics · 2025Trial
- Balance impairment as a central correlate of falls, short sleep, and physical health in community-dwelling adults.BMC public health · 2026Observational
- Fear of Falling, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults in Bangladesh: Prevalence, Correlates, and Mediation Pathways.Depression and anxiety · 2026Article
- Fear of falling among housebound older adults: a quantitative study.BMC geriatrics · 2025Article
- Linkages of quality of life with falls and injuries among older people in India.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Examining Factors Influencing Older Adult Engagement in Fall Prevention: A Comparative Analysis Among Stakeholders.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2025Article
- A multiple correspondence analysis of the fear of falling, sociodemographic, physical and mental health factors in older adults.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- The impact of fear of falling on health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults: mediating effects of depression and moderated mediation effects of physical activity.BMC public health · 2024Article
- A Computer Vision-Based System to Help Health Professionals to Apply Tests for Fall Risk Assessment.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Longitudinal Relationship between Mobility Device Use, Falls and Fear of Falling (FOF) Differed by Frailty Status among Community-Dwelling Older Adults.The journal of nutrition, health & aging · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe share of people over 80 years in the European Union is estimated to increase two-and-a-half-fold from 2000 to 2100. A substantial share of older persons experiences fear of falling. This fear is partly associated with a fall in the recent past. Because of the associations between fear of falling, avoiding physical activity, and the potential impact of those on health, an association between fear of falling and low health-related quality of life, is suggested. This study examined the association of fear of falling with physical and mental Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) among community-dwelling older persons in five European countries.
methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted using baseline data of community-dwelling persons of 70 years and older participating in the Urban Health Centers Europe project in five European countries: United Kingdom, Greece, Croatia, the Netherlands and Spain. This study assessed fear of falling with the Short Falls Efficacy Scale-International and HRQoL with the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey. The association between low, moderate or high fear of falling and HRQoL was examined using adjusted multivariable linear regression models.
resultsData of 2189 persons were analyzed (mean age 79.6 years; 60.6% females). Among the participants, 1096 (50.1%) experienced low fear of falling; 648 (29.6%) moderate fear of falling and 445 (20.3%) high fear of falling. Compared to those who reported low fear of falling in multivariate analysis, participants who reported moderate or high fear of falling experienced lower physical HRQoL (β = -6.10, P < 0.001 and β = -13.15, P < 0.001, respectively). In addition, participants who reported moderate or high fear of falling also experienced lower mental HRQoL than those who reported low fear of falling (β = -2.31, P < 0.001 and β = -8.80, P < 0.001, respectively).
conclusionsThis study observed a negative association between fear of falling and physical and mental HRQoL in a population of older European persons. These findings emphasize the relevance for health professionals to assess and address fear of falling. In addition, attention should be given to programs that promote physical activity, reduce fear of falling, and maintain or increase physical strength among older adults; this may contribute to physical and mental HRQoL.
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