Fear of Falling in People With Chronic Stroke

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the prevalence of fear of falling (FoF) in a sample of people with chronic stroke and compared multiple variables (balance, anxiety, depression, activity and participation, and stroke severity) in people with and without FoF. METHOD: This study was a secondary analysis of data collected from a cross-sectional study of mobility after stroke in 77 participants with chronic stroke (>6 mo poststroke). RESULTS: Of the 77 participants, 51 (66%) reported experiencing FoF. People with FoF had significantly decreased balance (p<.001) and activity and participation (p=.006) and significantly increased anxiety (p=.007). People with FoF also had significantly worse stroke severity (p=.001). CONCLUSION: FoF is a prevalent concern in the chronic stroke population. The presence of FoF was associated with a variety of negative consequences. Occupational therapy practitioners should address FoF to help clients manage FoF and possibly improve recovery.