• Jane A Painter, Leslie Allison, Puneet Dhingra, Justin Daughtery, Kira Cogdill, and Leonard G Trujillo.
• Occupational Therapy Department, College of Allied Health Sciences, East Carolina University, 3305 F Health Sciences Building, Greenville, NC 27858, USA. painterj@ecu.edu
• Am J Occup Ther. 2012 Mar 1; 66 (2): 169-76.

ObjectiveThis study examined (1) the relationship of fear of falling to depression, anxiety, activity level, and activity restriction and (2) whether depression or anxiety predicted fear of falling, activity level, activity restriction, or changes in activity level.MethodWe administered the Survey of Activities and Fear of Falling in the Elderly; the Geriatric Depression Scale-30; and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, IVR Version, during a one-time visit to 99 community-dwelling adults ≥55 yr old.ResultsWe found significant relationships between (1) fear of falling and depression, anxiety, and activity level; (2) depression and anxiety; and (3) activity restriction and depression. Activity level was negatively correlated with activity restriction, fear of falling, depression, and anxiety. Anxiety predicted both fear of falling and activity level. Both anxiety and depression predicted activity restriction because of fear of falling and for other reasons.ConclusionOccupational therapy practitioners should consider screening their older adult clientele for fear of falling, anxiety, and depression because these states may lead to fall risk and activity restriction.Copyright © 2012 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

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