Table 2.
Potential risk factors for social isolation and activity restriction associated with fear of falling
| Author, year | Risk factor | Associated evidence |
| Social isolation after injurious fall | ||
| Nicholson, 200525 | Sex (female) | The authors noted a strong positive correlation between injurious falls and social isolation for women (ρ=−0.5; p=0.01), but this was not significant for men. |
| Activity restriction due to fear of falling | ||
| Zijlstra, 2007 | Aged 80 years or older | OR: 1.56 (95% CI, 1.24 to 1.95) |
| Fair perceived general health | OR: 2.92 (95% CI, 2.43 to 3.52) | |
| Poor perceived general health | OR: 5.7 (95% CI, 3.57 to 9.12) | |
| Curcio et al, 200932 | Poor perceived health | OR: 1.38 (95% CI, 1.06 to 1.79) |
| Depression | OR: 1.76 (95% CI, 1.38 to 2.24) | |
| Low social participation | OR: 1.52 (95% CI, 1.20 to 1.92) | |
| Difficulties in activities of daily living | OR: 1.65 (95% CI, 1.16 to 2.32) | |
| Decreased physical activity | OR: 1.35 (95% CI, 1.06 to 1.70) | |
| Polypharmacy | OR: 1.56 (95% CI, 1.14 to 2.14) | |
| Below poverty level | OR: 1.32 (95% CI, 1.05 to 1.65) | |
| Dias, 2011 | Depression | χ2=15.2, p=0.004 |
| Exhaustion (frailty) | χ2=9.2, p=0.01 | |
| Participation in social activities | χ2=10.4, p=0.016 | |
| Murphy et al, 200240 | Two or more chronic conditions | ARR: 1.34 (95% CI, 1.08 to 1.65) |
| Slow-timed physical performance | ARR: 1.44 (95% CI, 1.18 to 1.75) | |
| Merchant et al, 202034 | Sarcopenia | OR, 8.13 (95% CI, 1.52 to 43.41) |
ARR, adjusted risk ratio; OR, odds ratio.