Anxiety and Fear of Falling in Older Adults With Fall-related Orthopedic Surgery

Abstract

Objectives: Old age is associated with various health threats, including falls which have psychological, physical, and social consequences. One of these consequences is the fear of falling especially after orthopedic surgery. This study aims to evaluate the fear of falling and anxiety in older adults with a history of fall-related orthopedic surgery. Methods & Materials: In this descriptive-correlational study with cross-sectional design, 280 older people with a history of fall-related orthopedic surgery referred to the selected hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences were selected using a convenience sampling method. Data collection tools were a demographic form, the Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT), the Fall Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), and the subscale of Anxiety from the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as independent t-test, Pearson correlation test, one-way ANOVA, and linear regression analysis in SPSS v. 20 considering a significance level of P≤ 0.05. Results: The Mean±SD age of participants was 69.50±4.29 years and 65% were female. Most of them (99%) reported a high fear of falling level; 47.9% reported moderate anxiety and 26% reported severe to very severe level of anxiety. Their Mean±SD anxiety score (11.88±4.18) was higher than the cut-off point (10). Anxiety was significantly correlated with gender, educational level, marital status, history of fallinh, and history of chronic diseases (P<0.05). According to the results of Pearson correlation test, There was a statistically significant direct correlation between fear of falling and anxiety (r= -0.254, P=0.001). According to the results of linear regression analysis, being female had the greatest effect on anxiety (β=0.183), while being female and single, having good economic status, and living with spouse had the greatest effect on the fear of falling (β=0.236, 0.545, 0.047, and 0.545, respectively). Conclusion: Fear of falling seems to be high in older adults with a history of fall-related orthopedic surgery. Given the adverse consequences of the fear of falling and the high prevalence of anxiety in these people, it is recommended that counseling programs be provided for them at the time of discharge from the hospital.