• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2013

The object of this study was to investigate the relation between variables that is related to the general characteristics, fear of falling and falls efficacy. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 105 elders. Fear of falling and falls efficacy are measured structured questionnaires each. This study analyzed by SAS program. There was a significant difference of fear of falling according to education level(p=.003), body mass index(p=.016). There was a significant difference of falls efficacy according to gender(p<.001), education level(p=.047), body mass index(p=.019), number of chronic disease(p=.021). Fear of falling and age(r=0.23, p=.018) had significant positive correlations in the elders. Falls efficacy and number of chronic disease(r=-0.26, p=.010) had significant negative correlations in the elders. Fear of falling and falls efficacy are mutually contradictious concept. Also, both are important for the health of elderly. This result can be used for the elderly care and development of the program for the improvement of the falling efficacy.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.215-226
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• 2011

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the fear of falling of stroke patients and identify factors affecting the fear of falling. Method: For basic data, structured questionnaires were used for 137 stroke patients in hospitals in B city sampled for this study from June to August, 2010. Results: A multiple regression analysis used to identify variables affecting the fear of falling of stroke patients indicates that the most affecting variable was activities of daily living (${\beta}$=-.558), followed by self-efficacy of falling (${\beta}$=-.223), primary caregiver (${\beta}$=-.118), perception of health (${\beta}$=-.128) and drunken status (${\beta}$=-.108). Total variance explained by activities of daily living, self-efficacy of falling, the primary caregiver, perception of health and drunken status was 81.2% (F=70.845, $R^2$=.812). Conclusion: As discussed above, the factors significantly affecting the fear of falling in stroke patients were activities of daily living and self-efficacy of falling. Therefore, in order to reduce fear of falling of stroke patients and prevent falling, it is suggested that programs should be developed that will improve self-efficacy of falling and daily living activities.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate bone mineral density(BMD) and fear of falling and falls efficacy in the middle and old aged women over 50 years. Methods: The subjects consisted of 409 women. One-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlations and multiple regression were used to test the BMD, fear of falling and falls efficacy scale by using SPSSWIN 12.0. The BMD of the calcaneus were measured with peripheral dual energy x-ray absorptiometry(DEXA). Results: The average age was 63 years old and the average T-score was -3.21 in patient with osteoporosis, -1.72 with osteopenia, and .13 with normal. There were significant differences in the status of the BMD according to age(p=.000), height(p=.000), weight(p=.000), married status(p=.000), age of menarche(p=.002), and menopause(p=.002). The fear of falling was related with falls efficacy(r=-.247, p=.01), BMD(r=-.337, p=.01). Falls efficacy($\beta$=-.21, p=.000)and BMD($\beta$=-.26, p=.000) were predicting variables of fear of falling. The model explained 13% of the variance in fear of falling(F=27.38, p=.000). Conclusion: Fear of falling and falls efficacy were related with the bone mineral density. Falls efficacy and BMD may be useful for the predicting fear of falling for women in middle and old age. Further studies with assessment of fall-related risk-factors and a longitudinal study are necessary to assess with falls efficacy, and BMD with age.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.344-352
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• 2009

Purpose: The study was to identify influencing factors on fear of falling in postmenopausal women. Methods: With a correlational survey design, 125 postmenopausal women were recruited at the D metropolitan city by a convenience sampling. Fracture risk status was assessed by bone mineral densities (BMD) at lumbar and femur with DEXA method. A structured study questionnaire was used to measure demographic variables, osteoporosis self-efficacy, and fear of falling. Results: Mean age of the subjects was 59 years old and duration since menopause was 9.55 years. Twenty six percent of the subjects belonged to osteoporotic group in fracture risk status. Mean score for fear of falling was 16.10 (SD=5.18) indicating low level, and osteoporosis self-efficacy for exercise and diet was 44.76 (SD=7.41), indicating mid-range level. Factors influencing the fear of falling was longer time since menopause ($\beta=.30$), lower score of osteoporosis self-efficacy for exercise ($\beta=-.26$), poor health perception status ($\beta=-.16$), and presence of chronic disease ($\beta=.16$), and the explained variance was 20%. Conclusion: Although the level of fear of falling was yet low in postmenopausal women, women who had lower self-efficacy of osteoporosis for exercise and poorer health perception felt greater fear of falling. Therefore, an educational program specific to improve osteoporosis self-efficacy and reduce the fear of falling is needed for improving postmenopausal women's psychosocial well-being.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.253-263
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• 2020

Purpose : The purpose of this study was conducted to compare the fear of falling, self-efficacy and fall prevention behavior according to the fall experience of the elderly. Methods : The subjects of this study were 162 elderly in B metropolitan city. The data collection period was from September 10th to November 30th of 2018. The collected data was processed using SPSS 21.0 and was analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe's test. Results : The mean scores for fear of falling according to the fall experience and no fall experience of the elderly were 2.28±0.63 and 1.84±0.64 respectively and the results showed that fear of falling (t=4.26, p<.001) and self-efficacy of falling (t=3.88, p<.001) were significantly different between the two groups, but the mean scores for fall prevention behavior according to the fall experience and no fall experience of the elderly were 1.63±0.20 and 1.67±0.17 respectively and there was no significantly different in fall prevention behavior (t=-1.16, p=.25). Fear of falling according to the fall experience was significantly different by age (F=3.25, p<.05) and physical activity related to daily life (F=13.22, p<.001). Self-efficacy according to the fall experience was significantly different by age (F=3.03, p<.05), income per month (F=3.74, p<.05) and physical activity related to daily life (F=11.99, p<.001). But fall prevention behavior was no significantly different of general characteristics. Fear of falling according to the no fall experience was significantly different by age (F=3.37, p<.05), marriage status (F=3.37, p<.05), education level (F=5.15, p<.01), income per month (F=3.58, p<.05) and physical activity related to daily life (F=15.71, p<.001). Self-efficacy according to the no fall experience was significantly different by sex (t=2.32, p<.05), age (F=5.20, p<.01), marriage status (F=5.04, p<.01), education level (F=6.55, p<.001), income per month (F=5.99, p<.001) and physical activity related to daily life (F=18.86, p<.001). Fall prevention behavior was significantly different by marriage status (F=3.51, p<.05). Conclusion : The results of this study suggest the following : it is necessary to develop a program that can lower the fear of falling in the elderly and to increase the self-efficacy of falling, and to develop an education program that can improve the elderly's practice of fall prevention behavior regardless of the fall experience and to verify its effectiveness.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.14-22
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience of falls, the fear of falling and fall efficacy and identify the predictors of falls in the elderly at senior citizens' centers. Method: The subjects of this study were 106 elders who used senior citizens' centers in Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea. Data were collected from May to June, 2006 through a survey using a structured questionnaire. Result: Of the elderly sampled, 35.8% experienced falls during the last 1 year. Of falls experienced by the elderly, 53% occurred indoors, 47% outdoors, 15.8% in the bathroom or toilet. In addition, 57.8% of the elderly had injuries on the hip and waist related with falls. The fear of falling was higher in those with experience in falls than in those without. Factors affecting the elders' falls were age (OR=1.113, 95% CI=1.012-1.224), the number of chronic disease (OR=2.342, 95% CI=1.365-4.019) and the fear of falling (OR=4.279, 95% CI=1.901-9.634). The predictor of the frequency of falls was fall efficacy ($R^2=24.9$). Conclusion: As a result, it is essential to develop fall prevention programs based on the fear of falling, fall efficacy, chronic diseases and medication state. And in senior citizens' centers, fall prevention safety education should be activated as a health promotion program.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.44-53
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• 2008

The purpose of this preliminary study was to develop a measurement for assessing risk factors for falling in community-dwelling elderly persons. Rasch analysis and principal component analysis were performed to examine whether items on the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC), assessing self-efficacy, and items on the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), assessing balance function, contribute jointly to a unidimensional construct in the elderly. A total of 35 elderly persons (4 men, 31 women) participated. In this study, each item of ABC (16 items) and BBS (14 items) was scored on a 5-point ordinal rating scale from 0 to 4. The initial Rasch and principal component analysis indicated that 3 of the ABC items and 2 of the BBS items were misfit for this study. These 5 items were excluded from further study. After combining ABC and BBS, Rasch and principal component analyses were examined and finally 23 items selected; 12 items from ABC, 11 items from BBS. The 23 combined ABC-BBC items were arranged in order of difficulty. The hardest item was 'walk outside on icy sidewalks' and the easiest item was 'pivot transfer'. Although structural calibration of each 5 rating scale categories was not ordered, the other three essential criteria of Linacre's optimal rating scale were satisfied. Overall, the ABC-BBS showed sound item psychometric properties. Each of the 5 rating scale categories appeared to distinctly identify subjects at different ability levels. The findings of this study support that the new ABC-BBS scale measure balance function and self-efficacy. It will be a clinically useful assessment of risk factors for falling in the elderly. However, the number of subjects was too small to generalize our results. Further study is needed to develop a new assessment considering more risk factors of falling in elderly.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the difference between the faller and the non-faller in the test for balance and fear of falling. This was also done to determine whether the balance and the fear of falling are correlated in the elderly. Method: Forty eight subjects participated in this study, who attended the senior center in Daegu. Prior to the test, demographic data was collected. As for the balance test, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up & Go (TUG), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Functional Reach Test (FRT), and One Leg Stance (OLS) were used. For measuring the fear of falling, Falls Efficacy Scale (FES) and Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) were used. Independent t-test and Pearson's correlation was performed using PASW 18.0 for windows. Result: All balance tests, except OLS, and fear of falling could discriminate between the faller and the non-faller. There existed a significant correlation between some balance test and fear of falling (r=0.64~0.86). Conclusion: The findings indicate that assessing the falling in the elderly, there needs to be a consideration of multiple aspects including the fear of falling and not only the balance test.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.91-101
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience of falls and identify risk factors associated with falls. Methods: The participants were 233 community-dwelling elderly people in two cities. Data were collected by interviewing the elderly with structured questionnaires from May to June, 2012. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression were performed using SPSS version 17.0. Results: Age, educational level, living arrangement, health status, the use of assistive devices, the number of medication, hypertension, arthralgia, dizziness, fall efficacy, fear of falling, activity of daily living, and quality of life were significant associated with fall experience. Through multiple logistic regression analysis, arthralgia, dizziness, fall efficacy, and fear of falling were identified as significant predictors of falls. Conclusion: It is important to identify the risk factors for falls among the elderly living in community. Fall prevention interventions should be multifactorial, especially for the elderly who were identified as the high risk group.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.61-69
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aims to determine the association between fear of falling, falls efficacy, and fall prevention behaviors in older adults in outpatient and identify the factors affecting fall prevention behaviors. Methods: This was a descriptive study. A total of 137 older adults aged 60 or older with more than one disease in an outpatients setting were recruited from a university hospital in Seoul. Data were collected from March 11 through April 8, 2016. Results: The experience of a fall was significantly associated with age (t=-2.71, p=.008), gender (𝛘²=14.32, p<.001), education (𝛘²=6.05, p=.049), income (𝛘²=9.93, p=.019), physical activity status (𝛘²=16.84, p<.001), and the number of diseases (t=-2.89, p=.004). Fall experience was not significantly associated with marital status (𝛘²=3.79, p=.285). Multiple regression analysis revealed that the most influential factor of fall prevention behaviors was the fear of falls (β=-.37, p<.001), followed by the number of diseases (β=-.20, p=.013). Conclusion: It is necessary to provide preventive fall education with older adults in outpatients settings considering the fear level of falling and the numbers of accompanying diseases.