Assessing Fall Risk Appraisal Through Combined Physiological and Perceived Fall Risk Measures Using Innovative...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Public Health

Background:

• Fall risk assessment in older adults is crucial for preventing injuries.
• Subjective fall risk appraisal may not align with objective physiological measures.
• Existing methods may not fully capture the nuances of perceived versus actual fall risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To categorize fall risk appraisal in community-dwelling older adults.
• To quantify discrepancies between perceived fall risk (Fall Efficacy Scale-International) and physiological fall risk (BTrackS™ Assess Balance System).
• To explore the relationship between fall risk appraisal categories and a history of falls.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 102 community-dwelling older adults.
• Subjective fall risk was measured using the Fall Efficacy Scale-International.
• Objective physiological fall risk was assessed using the BTrackS™ Assess Balance System.

Main Results:

• Approximately 40% of participants exhibited maladaptive fall risk appraisals (irrational or incongruent).
• Adaptive fall risk appraisals (rational or congruent) were observed in 60% of participants.
• A history of falls significantly differed across appraisal categories (p < 0.01), with congruent appraisals showing the highest prevalence.

Conclusions:

• A significant portion of older adults demonstrate inaccurate fall risk perceptions.
• Discrepancies in fall risk appraisal are linked to a history of falls.
• Technological assessment of perceived and physiological fall risks can enhance screening and guide targeted interventions for fall prevention.