Fear of Falling and its Associations with Functional and Psychosocial Factors among Older Adults in Rural Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: The fear of falling among older adults poses significant health and psychosocial challenges. The current research aimed to assess the prevalence of fear of falling among older adults in selected villages of Tamil Nadu, India, and to explore the factors associated with it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among older adults aged 60 years and above in Vellore District, Tamil Nadu. Four villages have been randomly chosen for the study, namely Venkatapuram, Vasanthanadai, Mothakkal, and Pillayar Kuppam. Also, a systematic random sampling was employed to select households from the line list. Data were collected using the BG Prasad socioeconomic scale, Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES-I), and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were utilized for data analysis. RESULTS: A high proportion of older adults (82%) self-reported experiencing fear of falling (n = 187). The prevalence of fear of falling (FOF) increased with advancing age, with the highest prevalence observed in individuals aged 80 years and above (97%), followed by those aged 70-79 years (84%) and 60-69 years (78%). Female participants reported a higher prevalence of FOF (86%) compared to their male counterparts (71%). Additionally, FOF was more common among individuals with a history of falls, existing comorbidities, depressive symptoms, and limited social support. CONCLUSION: This study highlights fear of falling as a significant concern among older adults, driven by a range of demographic, physical, and psychosocial factors. Implementing targeted interventions to address modifiable risk factors is essential for reducing the fear of falling in this population.