Chronic pain as a moderator between fear of falling and poor physical performance among community-dwelling older adults

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examined the associations between fear of falling (FOF) and physical performance as moderated by chronic pain in older Thai adults. Participants were 365 adults, aged ≥ 60 years living in suburban Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. Of the 365 participants, 56.2% had high levels of FOF based on the short version of the Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES-I). Participants with moderate to severe pain, moderate-to-high pain interference, or multiple site pain were more likely to have FOF than those without pain (p-value<0.05). Multivariate linear regression models indicated FOF was associated with poor physical performance after adjusting for health and demographic factors. Participants with high levels of both FOF and pain reported lower physical performance scores than those with high levels of FOF without pain. Future studies are needed to determine effective interventions to increase fall efficacy and physical activity among older adults with FOF and chronic pain.