%0 Journal Article
%T Social mediators of the association between depression and falls among older adults
%J Journal of aging and health
%D 2023
%A Lohman, Matthew C.
%A Fallahi, Afsaneh
%A Mishio Bawa, Eric
%A Wei, Jingkai
%A Merchant, Anwar T.
%V ePub
%N ePub
%P ePub-ePub
%X OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of social factors in the association between depression and falls among older adults. <br><br>METHODS: The sample included data from 3443 older adults from three waves of the Health and Retirement Study (2010-2014). A Lifestyle Questionnaire was used to measure social engagement, social network contact, and neighborhood social context. Mediating effects of social factors were estimated through causal mediation analysis. <br><br>RESULTS: Poorer social engagement and network contact were associated with greater likelihood of falls, while poorer neighborhood context was associated with greater likelihood of fall injuries. Social engagement mediated a significant portion of the effect of depression on falls (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.06), and neighborhood context mediated a portion of the effect of depression on fall injuries (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.07). <br><br>DISCUSSION: The direct and indirect impacts of social factors suggest that considering them may help improve existing fall prevention approaches.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I SAGE Publishing
%@ 0898-2643
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/08982643231152276