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BACKGROUND: Up to 66% of stroke survivors develop a fear of falling (FoF) which has profound detrimental quality-of-life effects. Gender-based patterns influence FoF, and cross-cultural differences exist, especially in cultures with differing norms for men and women. Studies exploring the interaction between gender and post-stroke FoF are lacking, including in Saudi Arabia, which differs in potentially important gender-based related cultural norms. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between FoF in Saudi men and women who survived a stroke, and identify clinical predictors of FoF in these populations. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 80 stroke patients (mean age = 63.9 years; 40 women). We used the Fall Efficacy Scale International (FES-I) to measure FoF, and collected clinical outcome measures to capture motor, affective, and cognitive functioning. For statistical analysis, we used Spearman rho correlation and stepwise multiple linear regression analysis with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: = 0.65; p < 0.001). In women, FES-I scores significantly correlated with all of the motor outcome measurements conducted. In contrast, in men, FES-I scores significantly correlated with all of the affective outcome measurements conducted as well as with some of the motor outcome measures (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION: Affective and cognitive functions are predictors of FoF in stroke survivors, but the association of FoF with clinical factors differs in Saudi men and women.
Almajid et al. (Thu,) studied this question.