Aburub AS1, Guerra RO2, Curcio C-L3, Auais M4
1The University of Jordan, Physical Therapy, Montreal, Jordan, 2Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Departamento de Fisioterapia, Natal, Brazil, 3University of Caldas, Health Sciences, Manizales, Colombia, 4Queen's University, Rehabilitation Science, Kingston, Canada
Background: Cancer prevalence is dramatically increasing worldwide with more than 23.6 million new cases expected by 2030. Of these, 13 million will die within 5 years. Cancer survivors live with many sequelae such as falling and fear of falling (FOF). FOF leads to activity limitations, depression, and increase fall incidence. To the extent of our knowledge, little work has been done on identifying factors that are associated with FOF in people with cancer.
Purpose: To identify the associated factors with FOF in people with cancer.
Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the IMIAS study. The exclusion criteria of the IMIAS study was a score of 4 or more on the orientation scale of the Leganes Cognitive Test (LCT). IMIAS study was approved by the ethics board in 4 countries (Canada, Latin America (Colombia and Brazil), and Albania). The IMIAS data at baseline was used for the present study analyses.
A total of 175 people self-identified themselves as cancer patients (mean age 69.3 years, women 50.2%). FOF was the primary outcome and was measured using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), range from 16-64. Potential variables associated with FOF were classified into demographic variables (age, gender and study site) and clinical variables known in the literature to be associated with FOF such as cognitive status, depression, visual acuity, functional status and mobility, and the number of falls.
Cognitive status was tested using LCT. Depression was measured using the center for epidemiological studies scales depressive symptoms (CES-D). Visual acuity was measured using the ETDRS Tumbling-E chart. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was used to measure functional status and mobility. The number of falls in the last year was measured using a subjective question “How many times have you fallen in the last 12 months?”.
Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the study participants. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to measure the relationship strength between FOF and all study variables. Simple linear regression was used to identify potential variables associated with FOF. Variables with p-value 0.05 were included in the multiple linear regression. Multiple linear regression models were adjusted for age, gender and study site. Regression assumptions were checked and fulfilled before performing the regression analyses.
Results: FOF was significantly correlated with all study variables except with age (p=0.26). Simple linear regression showed that all study variables except age were significantly associated with FOF with p-value 0.05. The final multiple regression model adjusted for age, gender and study site showed that FES-I increased significantly by 1.3, and 2.3 points, respectively, when the LCT and SPPB total scores decreased. FES-I also significantly increased by 0.9 with each additional fall reported in the last year.
Conclusion(s): Cognitive status, functional and mobility status and number of falls were factors associated with FOF.
Implications: The findings of this study provide evidence that FOF is a multifactorial construct and should be considered by healthcare professionals in across the continuum of care.
Keywords: Fear of Falling, Cancer, Fall
Funding acknowledgements: NA
Purpose: To identify the associated factors with FOF in people with cancer.
Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the IMIAS study. The exclusion criteria of the IMIAS study was a score of 4 or more on the orientation scale of the Leganes Cognitive Test (LCT). IMIAS study was approved by the ethics board in 4 countries (Canada, Latin America (Colombia and Brazil), and Albania). The IMIAS data at baseline was used for the present study analyses.
A total of 175 people self-identified themselves as cancer patients (mean age 69.3 years, women 50.2%). FOF was the primary outcome and was measured using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), range from 16-64. Potential variables associated with FOF were classified into demographic variables (age, gender and study site) and clinical variables known in the literature to be associated with FOF such as cognitive status, depression, visual acuity, functional status and mobility, and the number of falls.
Cognitive status was tested using LCT. Depression was measured using the center for epidemiological studies scales depressive symptoms (CES-D). Visual acuity was measured using the ETDRS Tumbling-E chart. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was used to measure functional status and mobility. The number of falls in the last year was measured using a subjective question “How many times have you fallen in the last 12 months?”.
Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the study participants. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to measure the relationship strength between FOF and all study variables. Simple linear regression was used to identify potential variables associated with FOF. Variables with p-value 0.05 were included in the multiple linear regression. Multiple linear regression models were adjusted for age, gender and study site. Regression assumptions were checked and fulfilled before performing the regression analyses.
Results: FOF was significantly correlated with all study variables except with age (p=0.26). Simple linear regression showed that all study variables except age were significantly associated with FOF with p-value 0.05. The final multiple regression model adjusted for age, gender and study site showed that FES-I increased significantly by 1.3, and 2.3 points, respectively, when the LCT and SPPB total scores decreased. FES-I also significantly increased by 0.9 with each additional fall reported in the last year.
Conclusion(s): Cognitive status, functional and mobility status and number of falls were factors associated with FOF.
Implications: The findings of this study provide evidence that FOF is a multifactorial construct and should be considered by healthcare professionals in across the continuum of care.
Keywords: Fear of Falling, Cancer, Fall
Funding acknowledgements: NA
Topic: Oncology, HIV & palliative care; Older people
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: ethics board in 4 countries
Ethics committee: ethics board in 4 countries
Reason not required: it''''s a secondary data analysis
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
