ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Relationship between Fear of Falling, Physical Activity, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Elderly Daycare Service Users
2017 Volume 13 Issue 1 Pages 41-46
Details
2017 Volume 13 Issue 1 Pages 41-46
Background: Physical activity (PA) has been found to affect the fear of falling (FOF). Although objective measures can improve the accuracy of measurement compared with subjective measures, previous studies have primarily used self-report measures to assess PA. The relationship between FOF, PA, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in elderly people who need long-term care has therefore not been sufficiently clarified.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between FOF, PA, and HRQOL in elderly daycare service users.
Methods: The participants were 39 frail elderly people living at home who regularly used daycare facilities (13 men, 26 women; mean age, 75.1 ± 6.7 years). A cross-sectional study design was used. FOF was assessed using the Japanese version of the Falls Efficacy Scale (FES), PA was measured using a triaxial accelerometer, and HRQOL was assessed using the Japanese version of the Short Form-8 Health Survey. Based on median FES scores, participants were divided into two groups, High FES and Low FES, and then the PA and HRQOL values were compared.
Results: Patients in the Low FES group had significantly less PA (p = 0.019) and lower physical component scores in regard to HRQOL (p = 0.006).
Conclusions: The results of this study suggest the presence of a relationship between low FES scores in elderly daycare service users and less PA and low physical component scores in regard to HRQOL.
