Bauermeister, S, Sutton, G, Mon-Williams, M orcid.org/0000-0001-7595-8545 et al. (6 more authors) (2017) Intraindividual variability and falls in older adults. Neuropsychology, 31 (1). pp. 20-27. ISSN 0894-4105
Abstract
Objective: We investigated whether a simple measure of reaction time intraindividual variability (IIV) was associated with falls in older adults. Falls and fall-related injuries represent a major cost to health care systems, it is therefore critically important to find measures that can readily identify older adults at greater risk of falling. Method: Cognitive and motor function were investigated in 108 adults aged 53 to 93 years (M= 73.49) recruited across the local community and hospital outpatient department. Forty-two participants had experienced either an injurious fall, or multiple falls, in the previous two years. Results: Logistic regression suggested that fallers could be distinguished from non-fallers by greater medication use, IIV, postural sway, weaker grip strength and slower gait speed. Structural equation models revealed that IIV as predictive of falls via the mediating variable of motor function (e.g., gait). IIV also predicted higher-order cognition (executive function) but higher-order cognitive function did not uniquely predict falls or account for the associations between IIV and falls. Conclusions: These findings indicate that IIV measures capture important aspects of cognitive and motor decline and may have considerable potential in identifying older adults at risk of falling in healthcare and community settings.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2016, APA. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Neuropsychology. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. This article may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record. |
Keywords: | cognition, intraindividual variability, motor control, fall, aging |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Mechanical Engineering (Leeds) > Institute of Engineering Systems and Design (iESD) (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Psychology (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number Teresa Rosenbaum Golden Charitable Trust Not Known Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust LCHGA002 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 11 Oct 2016 16:05 |
Last Modified: | 12 Apr 2017 07:25 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/neu0000328 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | American Psychological Association |
Identification Number: | 10.1037/neu0000328 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:105775 |