Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
Using Motion Capture Technology in the Instrumented Timed Up and Go Test to Detect the Risk of Falling in Aged Adults
Published on: October 25, 2024
The mediating role of falls efficacy in fall risk among older adults: A secondary analysis
Jiayuan Ou1, Lili Sun2, Zhaodi Wang2
1Department of Nursing, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China; Department of Nursing, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
Objectives:
To examine whether falls efficacy mediates the associations between intrinsic risk factors and fall-risk profiles among older adults.
Methods:
Data from 422 community-dwelling older adults were analyzed. Falls efficacy was assessed using the Modified Falls Efficacy Scale (MFES), and fall-risk profile was assessed using the Self-Rated Fall-Risk Questionnaire (FRQ). Associations were examined using nonparametric analyses, and mediation analyses were conducted using the R mediation package with 5000 bootstrap resamples.
Results:
Lower MFES scores and higher FRQ scores were both associated with older age, poorer physical performance, multimorbidity, post-awakening symptoms, fall history, vision impairment, hearing impairment, and impaired lower-limb sensation. Falls efficacy significantly mediated the associations between these factors and FRQ scores. The proportion mediated ranged from 15.0% for fall history to 59.0% for TUGT. Relatively high mediated proportions were also observed for hearing impairment (46%), age (38%), FSBT (35%), and vision impairment (35%).
Conclusion:
Falls efficacy may represent an important psychological pathway linking several intrinsic risk factors to higher FRQ scores among older adults.
