Abstract
•Fear of falling was independently associated with slower mobility on the TUG after adjusting for age and sex.•Socioeconomic indicators showed no clear relationship with perceived fall risk in this sample.•Higher household income was associated with better objective physical performance, including mobility and lower extremity strength.•TUG performance may reflect both objective mobility limitations and behavioral adaptations related to fear of falling.•Findings support fall risk screening approaches that incorporate both physical performance and psychosocial factors.
This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES), fear of falling, and objective fall risk among community-dwelling older adults in Southwest Florida.
Community dwelling older adults aged 55 and older, English or Spanish speaking, were recruited from two senior centers. SES was assessed using validated self-report items on educational attainment and income. Fear of falling was measured using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I). Objective fall risk was assessed using components of the Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries (STEADI) algorithm, including the Timed Up and Go (TUG), 30-second chair stand, and 4-stage balance test.
Among 43 participants (mean age 76.7 ± 6.48 years; 86% female), neither educational attainment nor household income was significantly associated with FES-I scores (education: ρ = .27, p = .079; household income: ρ = -.11, p = .490). However, higher household income was significantly associated with faster TUG performance (ρ = -.41, p = .007) and greater lower extremity strength (ρ = .44, p = .003). Hierarchical regression revealed that FES-I independently predicted TUG performance after controlling for age and sex (β = .42, p = .003, ΔR² = .17).
SES was not associated with fear of falling, though household income was associated with objective functional performance. Fear of falling was associated with dynamic mobility, underscoring the value of incorporating both self-reported questionaries and functional assessments into fall risk screening protocols.