Patient-Reported, Not Performance Based, Outcome Measures Are Correlated With Future Falls in Community Dwelling Older Adults

Creators

Alex Carr SPT, University of Puget SoundFollow
Hannah Johnson SPT, University of Puget SoundFollow
Elise Whisler SPT, University of Puget SoundFollow
Holly Roberts PT, PhD, University of Puget SoundFollow

Work Type

Poster

Date

Fall 2020

Faculty Advisor

Holly Roberts, PT, PhD

Language

English

Abstract

Background: One-third of community-dwelling older adults fall at least once a year, yet many commonly used performance-based outcome measures for falls have ceiling effects. Additionally, psychological factors such as fear of falling and avoidance behaviors may contribute to fall risk.

Purpose: To determine whether balance confidence, fear of falling avoidance behaviors, or performance on high-level mobility outcome measures can predict falls in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: Eighty-nine participants (76 ± 7 years) completed the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), Fear of Falling Avoidance Behaviors Questionnaire (FFABQ), Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), and Community Balance & Mobility Scale (CB&M) and then recorded their falls for 6 months. Spearman’s rho, a Point-Biserial Correlation, and Receiver Operating Curves were used to analyze the relationship of the selected outcome measures, past falls, and future falls.

Results: There were statistically significant correlations between falls and both the ABC (r₂=-.235, p=.022) and the FFABQ (r₂=.286, p=.019). There was a positive correlation between history of falls and future falls (r=.323, p=.002). The ABC (area under curve [AUC] =.632, p=.038) and the FFABQ (AUC=.655, p=.015) were significant predictors of future falls. The optimal cutoff scores for determining individuals who experienced falls were: ABC-96% (79% sensitivity, 66% specificity) and FFABQ-1.50 (79%, 55%).

Conclusion: No single outcome measure was found to be strongly correlated with falls. The ABC, FFABQ, and history of falls were weakly correlated with future falls. A cutoff score of 96% on the ABC and 1.50 on the FFABQ had adequate sensitivity, but low specificity for predicting falls.

Publisher

University of Puget Sound

Recommended Citation

Carr, Alex SPT; Johnson, Hannah SPT; Whisler, Elise SPT; and Roberts, Holly PT, PhD, "Patient-Reported, Not Performance Based, Outcome Measures Are Correlated With Future Falls in Community Dwelling Older Adults" (2020). Physical Therapy Research Symposium. 59.
https://soundideas.pugetsound.edu/ptsymposium/59