Citation

Lohman MC, Fallahi A, Mishio Bawa E, Wei J, Merchant AT. J. Aging Health 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/08982643231152276

PMID

36633960

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of social factors in the association between depression and falls among older adults.

METHODS: The sample included data from 3443 older adults from three waves of the Health and Retirement Study (2010-2014). A Lifestyle Questionnaire was used to measure social engagement, social network contact, and neighborhood social context. Mediating effects of social factors were estimated through causal mediation analysis.

RESULTS: Poorer social engagement and network contact were associated with greater likelihood of falls, while poorer neighborhood context was associated with greater likelihood of fall injuries. Social engagement mediated a significant portion of the effect of depression on falls (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.06), and neighborhood context mediated a portion of the effect of depression on fall injuries (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.07).

DISCUSSION: The direct and indirect impacts of social factors suggest that considering them may help improve existing fall prevention approaches.

Language: en

Keywords

falls; depression; mediation; social determinants