Forum of Public Safety and Culture · Sep 30, 2026
The Roles of Functional Status and Health Information Literacy in the Association Between Fall Experience and Health-Related Quality of Life among Korean Older Adults : Analysis of the 2024 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
By Society KSC, Kang HS, Lee EK et al.
This study examined the relationship between fall experience and health-related quality of life(HRQoL) among Korean older adults, and investigated the explanatory roles of functional status and health information literacy in this relationship. Using raw data from the 2024 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), this secondary data analysis included 1,442 adults aged 65 years and older with complete data on fall experience and EQ-5D index. Complex sample design elements were applied, and hierarchical regression models with sequentially added covariate blocks adjusting for socioeconomic factors, health behaviors, health information literacy, and the Life Functioning Scale(LF-10) were used to examine the fall–HRQoL association, along with a moderation model testing the interaction between fall experience and health information literacy. The fall experience group showed significantly lower EQ-5D scores and higher problem rates across all five EQ-5D domains than the non-fall group. Fall experience remained significantly associated with lower HRQoL after adjusting for socioeconomic and health-related factors, but this association was no longer statistically significant once functional status(LF-10) was added. Health information literacy showed no significant association with HRQoL or interaction with fall experience. These findings suggest that the fall–HRQoL association substantially overlaps with functional status. However, because the LF-10 and EQ-5D share overlapping functional constructs and the design was cross-sectional, mediation cannot be inferred. Nonetheless, fall management policy should include secondary prevention supporting post-fall functional maintenance and recovery. The role of health information literacy was not confirmed in this study, warranting further study of where health literacy meaningfully contributes to older adults' safety management.