Citation

Maeba K, Takenaka K. Nippon Ronen Igakkai Zasshi 2010; 47(4): 323-328.

Affiliation

Graduate School of Human Sciences, Waseda University.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Japan Geriatrics Society)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

20847490

Abstract

Aim: Falling is one of the most common health hazards for the elderly. Tinetti et al. (1990) proposed the concept of falls self-efficacy, which explored fear of falling from the perspective of self-efficacy. Falls self-efficacy and its associated factors have not been extensively studied in Japan. This study examined the impact of various factors associated with daily life on falls self-efficacy. Methods: We conducted individual interviews with 180 elderly participants (men=93; women=87) on topics such as falls self-efficacy, perceived health status, and time spent on physical activities. Results: Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the main factors influencing falls self-efficacy were perceived health status, past experience of falling, age, chronic pain, average time spent sitting during a weekday, and moderate or vigorous physical activity time per week. Falls self-efficacy was not significantly associated with gender, human environment, recent falling of acquaintances, or walking time per week. Conclusions: The results indicated that moderate or vigorous physical activity could enhance falls self-efficacy. Moreover, past falling experiences were negatively associated with falls self-efficacy, whereas perceived health status and chronic pain had a significant impact. Future fall prevention programs should adopt a multifactorial approach that focuses on enhancing falls self-efficacy.

Language: en