Predictors of Falling in Older Maryland Drivers: A Structural-Equation Model
Autor: | David E. Vance, Karlene Ball, Gayla M. Cissell, Daniel L. Roenker, Virginia G. Wadley, Jerri D. Edwards |
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Rok vydání: | 2006 |
Předmět: |
Male
Gerontology Automobile Driving Health Status Poison control Physical Therapy Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation Motor Activity Models Biological Fear of falling Structural equation modeling Occupational safety and health Cognition Risk Factors Injury prevention Humans Medicine Aged Causal model Aged 80 and over Maryland business.industry Rehabilitation Age Factors Human factors and ergonomics Middle Aged Visual Perception Accidental Falls Female Geriatrics and Gerontology medicine.symptom business |
Zdroj: | Journal of Aging and Physical Activity. 14:254-269 |
ISSN: | 1543-267X 1063-8652 |
Popis: | Falls can impair health and reduce quality of life among older adults. Although many factors are related to falling, few analyses examine causal models of this behavior. In this study, factors associated with falling were explored simultaneously using structural-equation modeling. A variety of cognitive, physical-performance, and health measures were administered to 694 older adult drivers from the state of Maryland. The observed and latent variables of age, cognitive ability, physical functioning, health, and falling behavior were used to create a causal model. The model revealed that being older was associated with declines in cognition, and such cognitive declines predicted increased falling. Similarly, poorer health was related to poorer physical functioning, which, in turn, also predicted increased falling. This model indicates that in addition to existing fall-prevention interventions aimed at improving physical functioning, interventions to improve cognition and health might also be effective. It is speculated that fear of falling, which often results in reduced mobility among older adults, might account for the lack of a direct relationship between age and falling. This hypothesis should be examined in further research. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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