Validation of the Falls Efficacy Scale – International in a sample of Portuguese elderly

Abstract

the validity and reliability of the FES-I Portugal are consistent with the original version and proved to be appropriate instruments for evaluating the "impaired walking" and "risk of falls" nursing diagnoses in the older people.

Fear of falling among Brazilian and Portuguese older adults

“…A secondary analysis of cross‐sectional survey in Brazil (Vitorino et al, ) and in Portugal (Marques‐Vieira et al, ) was undertaken. Brazilian data were collected three years earlier in a separate primary study also about FOF among older people.…”

“…Brazilian data were collected three years earlier in a separate primary study also about FOF among older people. Primary investigators in both countries collected the very same FOF data, with this permitting country‐specific comparison of the FOF and its associated factors (Vitorino et al, ; Marques‐Vieira et al, ).…”

“…The Portuguese study data were collected between May and June 2015 from the convenience sample of 170 older adults who sought support services at health centres in Funchal, a city located within the Autonomous Region of Madeira (ARM). In 2015, among the 256,424 living in the ARM, 15.6% ( N = 40,002) were over 65 years (Marques‐Vieira et al, ). Persons who are 65 years are considered older adults in Portugal (WHO, ).…”

“…The Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES‐I) was used for the assessment of FOF (Yardley et al, ). This scale was validated by Camargos, Dias, Dias, and Freire () in Brazil ( α = 0.96) and by Marques‐Vieira et al () in Portugal ( α = 0.95). The FES‐I assesses concerns about falling in 16 distinct daily activities.…”

“…In a study of community‐dwelling Brazilian older adults ( n = 742; M = 76.7 years of age), the reported range was 51.9%–82.7% (Malini, Lourenço, & Lopes, ). In a study of 170 Portuguese community‐dwelling older adults ( M = 71.1 years of age), the prevalence of FOF was 79.4% (Marques‐Vieira, Sousa, Sousa, & Berenguer, ). The latter two studies are not nationally representative studies; nonetheless, the reported prevalence of FOF is worrisome.…”