Fear of Falling: Exploring Associated Factors among Elderly Residents in the Rural Communities of Vietnam

Abstract

This research aimed to explore factors associated with the fear of falling (FOF) among community-dwelling older adults in Vietnam. A cross-sectional study was conducted in five communes in Soc Son, Hanoi, Vietnam, from March to June 2017. We recruited a total of 487 participants, which provided sufficient data for analysis. The outcome variable was fear of falling. Several covariates, including demographics, medical history, general health status, geriatric syndromes, eye diseases, assessment of fall risk environment, timed up-and-go test, and number of standing up in 30 s, were collected. A multivariable logistic regression model was performed to determine predictors associated with FOF. The results showed that 54.6% of the participants had FOF. Furthermore, the logistic multivariable regression model revealed several factors associated with FOF among participants in the research sites, including polypharmacy status (OR: 1.79; 95%CI 1.07–2.99), higher scores in quality of life according to the EQ-5D-5L index (OR:6.27; 95%CI: 2.77–14.17), and having fallen during the past 12 months (OR:4.4; 95%CI: 2.39–8.11). These findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationship between FOF and several associated factors, notably polypharmacy status, quality of life, and having a fall during the past 12 months.