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Objective: The fear of falling (FOF) is defined as low perceived self-efficacy at avoiding falls during the nonhazardous activities of daily life. The FOF can lead to negative consequences including the physical change, and it might decrease the quality of life of the elderly. The aim of study was to assess the prevalence of FOF and identify the associated factors among Thai elderly patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed. A total of 101 participants 60 years or older were recruited from October to November 2017. The data obtained through questionnaires, face-to-face interviews, and gait and balance tests that were measured by the researchers. The structured questionnaire included demographic data, history of falls, the Thai geriatric depression scale (TGDS), the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), and the Thai mental state examination (TMSE). The balance and gait tests were conducted using the timed up and go (TUG) test and the Berg balance scale. Results: The prevalence of FOF was 70.3%. The logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between FOF and female gender (odds ratio [OR], 4.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.63-10.46), whereas factors were not associated with FOF included age, living status, education, number of underlying disease, comorbidities, number of drugs used, history of fall, consequences of falls, visual acuity, TGDS, TMSE, TUG, and Berg balance test. In the multivariate model, the factors associated with the FOF were gender (OR, 4.28; 95% CI, 1.58-12.14) and hypertension (OR, 3.46; 95% CI, 1.11-11.72). Conclusion: The prevalence of FOF was high among Thai elderly patients. The present findings may help health care providers identify individuals who have FOF. These people could benefit from interventions, which focus on gender differences and hypertension aimed at reducing the FOF.

Background: Stroke is an important worldwide public health problem. Lack of knowledge in prevention methods, warning symptoms and planned response of acute stroke are associated with a longer prehospital time, which affect the morbidity and mortality of patients.Objective: The primary objective was to assess knowledge of stroke prevention methods and warning symptoms among patients living with diabetes and/or hypertension. The secondary objectives were to define planned responses when suspecting acute stroke, and identify associated factors with stroke knowledge scores and planned responses.Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in patients living with diabetes and/or hypertension, who had continuous follow up at the primary care unit of Songklanagarind Hospital. The outcomes of this study were assessed by a questionnaire, which was developed from a literature review.Results: This study included 312 participants. Median age was 64.0 years (Q1, Q3 = 58.0, 71.0), and 59.6% were female. Median score of knowledge of stroke prevention methods were 9, from 12 points (Q1, Q3 = 8, 10), and warning symptoms were 7, from 10 points (Q1, Q3 = 6, 8); with 80.1% of them knowing all 3 warning symptoms, according to the acronym FAST. Only 22.8% of participants would go to the hospital immediately, by calling an ambulance when they experienced symptoms of a suspected acute stroke. Participants who had income had statistically significant higher knowledge of stroke prevention methods; while participants under 60 years of age, who had a longer duration of diagnosed diabetes mellitus were associated with appropriate planned responses when suspecting acute stroke.Conclusion: Patients living with diabetes mellitus and hypertension, who are at a high risk for developing cardiovascular diseases, still do not have enough knowledge about acute stroke and had little concern about developing a stroke; especially the elderly and those with a short duration of having been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the level of quality of life and related factors in type 2 diabetic patients who were followed up at the Primary Care Unit of a university hospital in southern Thailand.Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in type 2 diabetes patients who were continuously followed up at the primary care unit. Quality of life was the primary outcome assessed by the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief-Thai questionnaire and related factors were analyzed using the multivariate generalized linear model.Results: This study included 158 patients who fit our eligibility criteria. The median age was 66 years old and median duration of diabetes was 10 years. Most had comorbidities and a quarter had diabetic complications. The results show 64.6% of the study sample had a good level of quality of life and no one had a bad level of quality of life. The results of multivariate generalized linear model show that no factors were associated with overall quality of life. Obesity was statistically significantly associated with a lower quality of life in the physical health dimension [odd ratio (OR)=0.35 (0.14, 0.89), p-value=0.027] and diabetic complications were associated with a lower quality of life in the psychological dimension [OR=0.27 (0.08, 0.85), p-value=0.025].Conclusion: Most diabetic patients had a good quality of life. There were no factors associated with overall quality of life, but obesity and diabetic complications were statistically significantly associated with some dimensions of quality of life. Healthcare providers should assess aspects of quality of life in patients with chronic diseases.