THE EFFECT OF GENDER AND LIVING PLACE ON THE NUMBER OF FALLS, THE RISK OF FALLING, THE FEAR OF FALLING AND BALANCE OVER 65 YEARS OF AGE

Authors : Özcan SAYGIN, Halil İbrahim CEYLAN, Gönül Babayiğit İREZ

Pages : 82-95

View : 16 | Download : 5

Publication Date : 2018-12-26

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This study was carried out to investigate the effect of gender and living place on the number of falls, the risk of falling, the fear of falling, and balance of older people. A total of 148 volunter elderly individuals insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(59 women and 89 men living in a nursing home and home); participated in this study. According to the 2X2 ANOVA analysis results; gender showed a statistically significant effect on the number of falls insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(df = insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1, 140);, F = 5,777, p = .018);, fear of falling insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(df= insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1, 140);, F=4,609, p=.034);, risk of falling insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(df= insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1, 140);, F=5,999, p=.016);, functional reach test scores insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(df= insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1, 140);, F=10,866, p=.001);. Older women were more likely to fall than older men, had a higher risk of falling, fear of falling, and a poorer balance. Living place was showed statistically significant effect on fear of falling insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(df= insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1, 140);, F=36,854, p=.000);, risk of falling insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1, 140);, F=5,750, p=.018);. While elderly people living in the house had more fear of falling than the elderly living in the nursing home, the older people living in the nursing home had a higher risk of falling than those living at home. Gender*living place interaction had a significant effect on fear of falling insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(df= insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1,140);, F=12,056, p=.001);. It was observed that both older men and women living at home had more fear of falling than older men and women living at nursing homes. According to Independent Sample t test; Functional reach test scores insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(balance skills); were found to be higher in the elderly who had a low fall risk. In conlusion; to prevent falls and to take precautions, the risk of falls, fear of falling and balance skills of the elderly should be monitored on a regular basis.
Keywords : Aging, Fall Risk, Fear of Falling, Balance, Gender