Falls and fear of falling in a sample of centenarians: the role of multimorbidity, pain and anxiety

Background To explore the recent history of falls and the existence of fear of falling in a sample of centenarians, and to identify factors associated with both conditions. Methods The sample included 109 centenarians from two Portuguese studies. The two main outcomes of this study are fear of falling and history of fall(s). Results Results revealed that more than a half (51.4%) of the participants had fallen in the last 5 years and that the percentage of fear of falling was 78.9%. No association was found between the two conditions. The factors associated with each one were found to be different: number of health conditions for history of falls, and pain frequency and anxiety for fear of falling. Conclusions The relationship between anxiety and fear of falling reinforces the importance of screening both conditions as it can improve their detection and treatment. The established relationship between a high number of health conditions (common at very advanced ages) and falls demands greater attention in fall prevention initiatives specifically targeted to the extremely elderly.