Fear of Falling and its Relationship with Anxiety and Depression Among Older People in Malaysia

Abstract

Fear of falling (FOF) among older people is often linked to various risk factors, including anxiety and depression. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the prevalence of fear of falling and determine the association between anxiety and depression on one hand and FOF on the other among older people. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 241 older people in the community of Kuantan, Pahang. A four-part questionnaire was used for data collection, consisting of sociodemographic background, anxiety, depression and FOF. The data was analysed via SPSS version 27.0, using descriptive and inferential data analysis. Of the 241 participants, 56% reported a high prevalence of FOF, 40% reported moderate FOF and 4% showed low FOF. A significant association was found between anxiety (p <0.0001) and depression (p= 0.007) with FOF. Further investigation and preventive measures should be taken into consideration to prevent this situation from affecting the activities of daily living of older people.