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KMID : 0603920090170040099
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Journal of Korean Academy of Occupational Therapy
2009 Volume.17 No. 4 p.99 ~ p.102
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A Study on the Factors Affecting Falls of the Elderly in Rural Areas
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Jeon Byoung-Jin
Lee Jae-Shin
Lee Ok-Ja
Shim Moon-Sook
Han Su-Jeong
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Abstract
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Objective : To confirm the variables in the falling efficacy of the elderly in rural areas, this paper deals with the causal relationship between variables that is related to the physical and psychological factors and effects through functional mobility as a parameter.
Methods :? Data were collected from 290 elderly subjects in 15 senior centers in the Nonsan area from September 3rd, 2008 to May 30th, 2009. For the physical factor, measurements of lower extremity (LE) strength and obesity index were carried out with an InBody 720, which measures the impedance for body parts. For the psychological factor, pain and depression tests were carried out. For functional mobility, tests for Timed Up and Go (TUG) and walking a line were carried out. Data on falls used the Fall Efficacy Scale (FES). Physical and psychological factors were used as exogenous variables for analysis, and the ML (maximum likelihood) estimation procedure of Amos 7.0 was used to analyze functional mobility as a mediating variable, and causal effect of falls as a final endogenous variable.
Results : The results of the analysis for correlation between variables that affect fall efficacy showed a negative affect of functional mobility, abdominal obesity, visceral fat, pain, depression, and age; and a positive affect for strength of LE and sex. Significant factors affecting TUG as a mediating variable were LE strength (β=-.352), obesity index (β=.159), and psychological variable (β=.240); and age (β=.424) was a significant factor affecting TUG as a control variable. Significant factors affecting TUG as a final endogenous variable were functional mobility (β=-.524) and psychological variable (β=-.152). The order of absolute influence in total effect included direct effects, and indirect effects were functional mobility (-.524), psychological variables (-.236), and age (-.164)
Conclusion : The factors that affected the fall efficacy of seniors in rural areas were functional mobility, LE strength, psychological variables, obesity index, and age. An occupational therapy mediation program that is related with the above factors should be developed to improve the performance ability in daily life, which can increase the fall efficacy of seniors.
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KEYWORD
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Depression, Elders, Fall efficacy, Functional mobility, Pain
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