PREDICTION FACTORS OF FEAR OF FALLING IN OLDER ADULTS ASSESSED BY THE ICF DOMAINS: GENDER, SOCIAL PARTICIPATION, AND WALKING SPEED

Abstract

The International Classification of Function, Disability, and Health (ICF) may be an ideal comprehensive model for fall risk assessment. However, information associating ICF and fear of falling among community-dwelling older adults remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with fear of falling in older adults, classified according to the ICF. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from 340 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older. They were assessed for their personal aspects, health status, functional skills, and social participation profile; the fear of falling was self-reported. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine prediction models for fear of falling. Results: Gender (OR 2.77; 95%CI 1.62 - 4.72, p> 0.001), walking speed (OR 0.19; 95%CI 0.09 - 042, p>0.001), and social participation (OR 2.35; 95%CI 1.39 - 3.95, p>0.001), composed a model that may predict up to 64% (AUC = 0.794, p>0.001) of the fear of falling among community-dwelling older adults. Conclusion: The association of the predictors of fear of falling identified that women have more restrictions on social participation and reduced walking speed as factors that contribute to increased fear of falling in community-dwelling older adults.