75 Functional Mobility and Balance Confidence as Correlates of Fall Risk in Older Adults Attending a Primary Health Care Clinic

Abstract

Abstract Background Fall is one of the leading cause of unintentional injury among older adults. Information regarding functional mobility and balance confidence as correlates of fall risk in older adults attending a primary health care clinic is limited. This information is vital for fall screening and prevention. We aimed to examine if functional mobility and balance confidence were correlates of fall risk in older adults attending a primary health care clinic. Methods 106 older adults (≥60 years old) attending a primary health care clinic at Cheras, Malaysia participated in this cross-sectional study. Socio-demographic details and falls history were obtained using a structured questionnaire. Functional mobility and balance confidence were assessed using Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale respectively. Fallers were categorised based on history of at least a fall in the past 12 months. Differences between faller and non-faller groups were distinguished using Independent T and Mann Whitney tests. Binomial logistic regression and receiver operating curve were performed to identify if functional mobility and balance confidence were correlates of falls risk and the cut off values for measures were obtained. Results TUG test and ABC scores differed significantly between the two groups (p< 0.05). Both TUG test and ABC scale were identified as correlates of falls risk with r, R2 of 0.98, 0.26 (p< 0.001) and 0.95, 0.12 (p< 0.05) respectively. Cut off value of 9.02 seconds and above for TUG test and 82.81% and below for ABC score were identified as risk factor of falls among older adults. Conclusion The cut off values obtained from our study can be used as reference to screen older adults at risk of falls in Malaysian primary health care settings. Early fall risk screening and management is a part of falls prevention strategy in older adults.