Associations between Fear of Crime and Symptom Burden among Non-victimized Older Adults: Findings from the Swedish Population-Based Study "Good Aging in Skåne"

BACKGROUND: Although older adults are statistically less likely to be exposed to crime, they tend to worry more about it compared to younger adults. Fear of crime (FOC) has been associated with lower life satisfaction, dependence in activities of daily living, poorer mental health, and reduced self-reported physical health. Few studies have compared different age groups among older adults or examined its relationship with various symptoms of common diseases. This study aimed to improve understanding of the association between behavioral FOC and symptom burden. METHODS: This cross-sectional study comprised 5,832 participants aged 60-96 years from the Swedish "Good Aging in Skåne" general population study. Data were collected through questionnaires, medical examinations, and patient journal reviews. Linear and logistic regression models, adjusted for age, gender, sociodemographic and health factors, were used to examine associations between FOC, the number of perceived symptoms, and prevalence of different symptom domains. RESULTS: Overall, 34.7% of participants reported refraining from going out in the evening at least occasionally due to fear of crime or threats during the past year, with higher prevalence among women and individuals aged 70 years and older. Statistically significant associations were found between FOC and both the number of reported symptoms and several symptom domains. CONCLUSION: Fear of crime is common among older adults, particularly in women, and is associated with an increased total number of symptoms and certain symptom domains. FOC should be recognized as a crucial factor influencing older adults' lives, with extensive health consequences.