Korean Journal of Family Medicine

"Accidental Falls"

Original Articles

Fear of Falling and Mortality among Older Adults in Korea: Analysis of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging: Ari Lee, Jungun Lee, Gyumin Lee, Dong Ryul Lee; Korean J Fam Med 2020;41(4):243-249. Published online May 12, 2020; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4082/kjfm.18.0128

Abstract
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Background
The fear of falling (FOF) has been reported in a high percentage of elderly people. An excessive FOF is a major concern among the elderly because it can lead to permanent disability. However, the impact of FOF on mortality has been insufficiently studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of FOF on mortality among the elderly in Korea.
Methods
This was a prospective study carried out using the database of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging, a nationwide study of community-dwelling adults in Korea. Study participants included 3,421 adults, aged 65 years or older, without either severe cognitive impairment (Korean version of Mini-Mental Status Examination ≥10), or previous history of cancer. We used Cox proportional hazards models to investigate the association between FOF and all-cause mortality.
Results
This study included 1,474 men and 1,947 women. Cox regression showed that participants with FOF had an increased risk of mortality (mild: hazard ratio [HR], 1.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01−1.54; moderate: HR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.23−2.05) after adjusting for confounding variables. In a subgroup analysis, FOF was still a significant risk factor of mortality for patients with no previous history of falling after adjusting for other risk factors, as in the full model, except for history of falling (HR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.27−2.13).
Conclusion
We found that FOF was a significant risk factor for mortality in the elderly in Korea. Further studies on the effects and mechanism of FOF on mortality are needed.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Development of a scale to measure fear of falling in older adults: a psychometric validation study
Dayeon Lee, Sunghee H Tak
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing.2025; 55(3): 413. CrossRef
Association between fear of falling and mortality in middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Wenlian Ma, Xiaoli Liang, Hongyan Wang, Zhifei Wen, Linfeng Liu, Liangliang Fan, Xiangeng Zhang
Geriatric Nursing.2024; 59: 113. CrossRef
Factors Associated with Fear of Falling by Fall Experience in the Community-dwelling Elderly
Yeong Mi Seo, Eun Sook Lee
Research in Community and Public Health Nursing.2023; 34: 12. CrossRef
Bidirectional relationship between fear of falling and frailty among community-dwelling older adults: A longitudinal study
Cen Mo, Wenting Peng, Yuqian Luo, Siyuan Tang, Minhui Liu
Geriatric Nursing.2023; 51: 286. CrossRef
Fear of falling and all-cause mortality among young-old community-dwelling adults: a 6-year prospective study
Giulia Belloni, Christophe Büla, Brigitte Santos-Eggimann, Yves Henchoz, Sarah Fustinoni, Laurence Seematter-Bagnoud
European Journal of Ageing.2022; 19(2): 293. CrossRef
A comparison of the prevalence of Fear of Falling between older patients with Lewy body dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and without dementia
Pinar Soysal, Semen Gokce Tan, Lee Smith
Experimental Gerontology.2021; 146: 111248. CrossRef

5,712 View
104 Download
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6 Crossref

Association between Falls and Nutritional Status of Community-Dwelling Elderly People in Korea: Ah-Ra Jo, Mi-Jeong Park, Byung-Gue Lee, Young-Gyun Seo, Hong-Ji Song, Yu-Jin Paek, Kyung-Hee Park, Hye-Mi Noh; Korean J Fam Med 2020;41(2):111-118. Published online March 19, 2020; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4082/kjfm.18.0112

Abstract
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Background
Malnutrition is a well-known risk factor of falls, although studies examining the association between nutritional status and falls are rare. We aimed to investigate the association between nutritional status and falls according to gender among Korean older adults.
Methods
The study included 10,675 participants (4,605 men and 6,070 women) aged 65 years and older and used data from the 2011 Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Persons. Nutritional status of the participants was assessed using the Nutritional Screening Initiative checklist, and the participants were categorized into the following groups: “good,” “moderate nutritional risk,” and “high nutritional risk.” Odds ratios (OR) of fall risk in the above groups based on gender were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analyses.
Results
Fallers in both genders showed significant association with older age, lower household income, inadequate exercise, and poor nutritional status compared with non-fallers. Considering the good nutritional status group as the reference group, the high nutritional risk group showed a higher risk of falls in men (OR, 1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26–1.99); both moderate and high nutritional risk groups showed a higher risk of falls after adjusting for confounding factors in women (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.19–1.62 and OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.61–2.24, respectively).
Conclusion
The risk of falls was associated with poor nutritional status, and statistical significance of the association between nutritional status and falls was stronger in women than in men.

Citations

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Mapping sex and gender differences in falls among older adults: A scoping review
Crista Sebastiani, Jamie Yee Xin Wong, Amandeep Litt, Julia Loewen, Karly Reece, Nicole Conlin, Tessa Dunand, Manuel Montero Odasso, Cassandra D'Amore, Stephanie Saunders, Marla Beauchamp
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.2024; 72(3): 903. CrossRef
Temporal trends and the association between self-rated oral health and falls in community-dwelling older adults in South Korea: a secondary analysis of survey data
Hyun-Ju Seo, Soon-Ki Ahn, Min-Jung Choi
BMJ Open.2024; 14(4): e081549. CrossRef
Age and Gender Differences in Fall-Related Factors Affecting Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Minhee SUH, Da Hye KIM, Insook CHO, Ok Kyung HAM
Journal of Nursing Research.2023; 31(2): e270. CrossRef
Development of a protein energy malnutrition screening tool for older Thais in public residential homes
Thitima Phodhichai, Warapone Satheannoppakao, Mathuros Tipayamongkholgul, Carol Hutchinson, Siriphan Sasat
Public Health Nutrition.2022; 25(3): 565. CrossRef
Current status of nutrient intake in Korea: focused on macronutrients
Seung-Won Oh
Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2022; 65(12): 801. CrossRef

7,127 View
117 Download
5 Web of Science
5 Crossref

Association between Female Urinary Incontinence and Geriatric Health Problems: Results from Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (2006): Kyungjin Sohn, Chang Ki Lee, Jinyoung Shin, Jungkwon Lee; Korean J Fam Med 2018;39(1):10-14. Published online January 23, 2018; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4082/kjfm.2018.39.1.10

Abstract
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Background

Urinary incontinence (UI) is highly prevalent in the aging population. UI is one of the most common geriatric syndromes and affects overall health, quality of life, and economical burden in patients. The aims of this study were to investigate the characteristics of patients with UI and to assess its association with other geriatric health problems.

Methods

We used data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing obtained in 2006. Among the 10,254 individuals aged 45 years and older, we analyzed data from 2,418 women aged 65 years and older. Data were obtained using questionnaires for UI, comorbidities, and lifestyle factors.

Results

Among the 2,418 women aged 65 years and older, 506 (20.9%) had UI. Cerebrovascular disease (odds ratio [OR], 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26 to 3.23), arthritis (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.18 to 1.77), and fear of falling (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.18 to 2.22) were significantly associated with UI, while chronic lung disease, psychiatric disease, difficulty in daily living due to visual and hearing problems, and experiencing a fall in the last 2 years were not associated with UI.

Conclusion

Cerebrovascular disease, arthritis, and especially fear of falls were significantly associated with UI in elderly Korean women.

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