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Accidental falls, health-related quality of life and life satisfaction: A prospective study of the general elderly population.

Stenhagen, Magnus LU ; Ekström, Henrik LU ; Nordell, Eva LU and Elmståhl, Sölve LU (2014) In Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics 58(1). p.95-100
Abstract
As the physical consequences of accidental falls in the elderly are well-researched, the long-term associations between falls and quality of life and related concepts are less known. The aim of this study was to prospectively examine the long-term relations between falls and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and life satisfaction (LS) over six years in the general elderly population. One thousand three hundred and twenty-one subjects (aged 60-93 years), from the general population in the south of Sweden, were included in a baseline assessment and a follow-up after six years. HRQoL was measured with the SF-12 and LS with the life satisfaction index A (LSI-A). The differences in mean scores between fallers at baseline (n=113) and... (More)
As the physical consequences of accidental falls in the elderly are well-researched, the long-term associations between falls and quality of life and related concepts are less known. The aim of this study was to prospectively examine the long-term relations between falls and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and life satisfaction (LS) over six years in the general elderly population. One thousand three hundred and twenty-one subjects (aged 60-93 years), from the general population in the south of Sweden, were included in a baseline assessment and a follow-up after six years. HRQoL was measured with the SF-12 and LS with the life satisfaction index A (LSI-A). The differences in mean scores between fallers at baseline (n=113) and non-fallers were statistical analyzed. Furthermore, the prediction of falls on the outcomes was analyzed using a multivariate linear regression model adjusted for multiple confounding factors. Fallers scored significant lower in HRQoL and LS at baseline and after six years, compared to non-fallers, especially in the SF-12 physical component (p=<0.001). In the linear regression analysis, one or more falls at the baseline predicted a significant reduction in the SF-12 physical component at the follow-up assessment (B-Coefficient -1.8, 95% CI -3.4 to -0.2). In conclusion, falls predict a long-term reduction in the physical component of HRQoL in the general elderly population. Over six years, fallers had a notable chronic lowered score in both HRQoL and LS, compared to non-fallers. This long-term depression of elderly fallers in these aspects may be more extent than previous assumed. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
volume
58
issue
1
pages
95 - 100
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000325984500016
  • pmid:23993268
  • scopus:84885952608
  • pmid:23993268
ISSN
1872-6976
DOI
10.1016/j.archger.2013.07.006
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2a7ee12a-4e78-439b-bff1-51eefc512a04 (old id 4066385)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23993268?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:00:17
date last changed
2022-04-20 08:11:24
@article{2a7ee12a-4e78-439b-bff1-51eefc512a04,
  abstract     = {{As the physical consequences of accidental falls in the elderly are well-researched, the long-term associations between falls and quality of life and related concepts are less known. The aim of this study was to prospectively examine the long-term relations between falls and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and life satisfaction (LS) over six years in the general elderly population. One thousand three hundred and twenty-one subjects (aged 60-93 years), from the general population in the south of Sweden, were included in a baseline assessment and a follow-up after six years. HRQoL was measured with the SF-12 and LS with the life satisfaction index A (LSI-A). The differences in mean scores between fallers at baseline (n=113) and non-fallers were statistical analyzed. Furthermore, the prediction of falls on the outcomes was analyzed using a multivariate linear regression model adjusted for multiple confounding factors. Fallers scored significant lower in HRQoL and LS at baseline and after six years, compared to non-fallers, especially in the SF-12 physical component (p=&lt;0.001). In the linear regression analysis, one or more falls at the baseline predicted a significant reduction in the SF-12 physical component at the follow-up assessment (B-Coefficient -1.8, 95% CI -3.4 to -0.2). In conclusion, falls predict a long-term reduction in the physical component of HRQoL in the general elderly population. Over six years, fallers had a notable chronic lowered score in both HRQoL and LS, compared to non-fallers. This long-term depression of elderly fallers in these aspects may be more extent than previous assumed.}},
  author       = {{Stenhagen, Magnus and Ekström, Henrik and Nordell, Eva and Elmståhl, Sölve}},
  issn         = {{1872-6976}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{95--100}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics}},
  title        = {{Accidental falls, health-related quality of life and life satisfaction: A prospective study of the general elderly population.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2297704/4250126.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.archger.2013.07.006}},
  volume       = {{58}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}