Experiences and perceptions of fear of falling in older adults: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

Qiuyue Cui; Ying Zhong; Yuxin Gui; Shuai Ma; Yuan Ge

doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2024.11.003

Experiences and perceptions of fear of falling in older adults: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

Geriatr Nurs. 2024 Nov 22:61:324-335. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2024.11.003. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Qiuyue Cui¹, Ying Zhong¹, Yuxin Gui¹, Shuai Ma¹, Yuan Ge²

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Nursing, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530200, PR China.
² Faculty of Nursing, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530200, PR China. Electronic address: gey@gxtcmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 39579450
DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2024.11.003

Abstract

Objective: To examine and synthesize qualitative data about the experiences of fear of falling in older adults.

Method: This review used the Joanna Briggs methodology for qualitative systematic reviews. The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, CBMdisc, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP databases were searched up to December 2023. In addition, gray literature was manually searched and the references of included studies were traced. Qualitative data was evaluated, synthesized, and analyzed by meta-synthesis.

Result: 18 studies were included and 3 themes were summarized, including: multiple fear disturbances; needs not fully met; and self-management strategies.

Conclusion: The experiences of older adults suffering from fear of falling needs more attention. Health care providers should identify problems from Older adults' experiences of fear of falling, they should recognize the subjective experiences and unique needs of older adults, understand the underlying behavioral reasons for their fear of falling, and offer effective self-management techniques to enhance their quality of life.

Keywords: Fear of falling; Meta-synthesis; Qualitative research; Systematic review.