Using Health-Related Quality of Life (SF-36v2®) to Predict Falls in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract

Background: Falls are the leading cause of hospitalization and death among older adults; therefore, the ability to predict fall risk among older adults is critical. Several performance-based outcome measures exist to assess fall risk. Psychological factors are also associated with fall risk yet can be difficult to assess and are often overlooked. In this study, we investigated whether the Short Form 36 Item Health Survey (SF-36v2®), a measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL), predicted future falls in a sample of community-dwelling older adults. A secondary purpose was to examine relationships between the SF-36v2® and balance performance. Methods: Forty-three community-dwelling older adults completed the SF-36v2® and 3 well-established measures of balance performance: Berg Balance Scale, Tinetti Mobility Assessment, and Timed Up and Go. Future falls were recorded for 12 months after testing. Results: The SF-36v2® physical component summary (PCS) scores predicted future fall status at 12 months. The PCS was correlated with all three measures of balance performance, in which higher PCS scores were associated with better balance. The mental component summary (MCS) scores were not significantly associated with balance performance. Conclusions: In this study, HRQOL as measured by the SF-36v2® predicted future falls and was associated with well-established balance performance measure scores. The instrument should be considered for inclusion in a comprehensive fall risk assessment.