The Iconographical Falls Efficacy Scale (IconFES) in community-dwelling older people-a longitudinal validation study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Falls are a major concern for community-dwelling older adults, impacting independence and quality of life.
• Assessing fear of falling is crucial for identifying individuals at risk and implementing targeted interventions.
• Existing scales may require validation or refinement for specific populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate cut-points for the 30-item and 10-item Iconographical Falls Efficacy Scale (IconFES).
• To evaluate the psychometric properties, including construct and predictive validity, of the IconFES.
• To identify individuals with high concern about falling who are at increased risk of falls and reduced physical activity.

Main Methods:

• Eight hundred and one community-dwelling older adults participated.
• Participants completed the IconFES, physical, psychological, and cognitive assessments.
• Physical activity was monitored, and fall incidence was collected over 12 months.

Main Results:

• Cut-points were established for the 30-item (<53) and 10-item (<19) IconFES to differentiate concern levels.
• Groups based on cut-points showed significant differences in stability, executive function, walking, and disability.
• High concern about falling predicted future falls, reduced walking, and lower movement intensity.

Conclusions:

• The developed IconFES cut-points effectively identify older adults with high concern about falling.
• These cut-points demonstrate predictive validity for fall incidence and physical activity restriction.
• Applying these validated IconFES cut-points can aid in proactive fall prevention strategies.