Fear of Falling and Balance Confidence in Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

Background and Aim: Each year, millions of older people experience falling which can cause serious injuries such as broken bones, head injuries, or even death. Since Diabetes Mellitus can disrupt the balance system and increase falling, and given that fear of falling and balance confidence are critical fall-related psychological concerns that can be the risk factors of falls in the diabetic elderly, this study aimed to compare fear of falling and balance confidence of diabetic and non-diabetic older adults in Iran. Methods: Participants were 63 diabetic older patients and 59 non-diabetic peers aged 60 years and over. Data were collected using the Persian versions of falling efficacy scale-international and activities-specific balance confidence-short form questionnaires. In addition, modified Romberg and timed up and go tests were performed to assess subjective balance performance. Results: The scores of falling efficacy scale-international questionnaire and timed up and go test were significantly higher in diabetic group while the scores of activities-specific balance confidence-short form questionnaire were lower (p<0.001). No significant differences were observed in the modified Romberg test scores between two groups. Conclusion: Fear of falling and low balance confidence are more common in diabetic older adults compared to non-diabetic peers. They have poor performance in timed up and go test and have more falls during the last 12 months. Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus; aging; fear of falling; balance confidence