3786 Is there any association of fear of falling with single or recurrent falls?

Introduction Fear of falling is a common psychological consequence following falls and fragility fractures, contributing to functional decline, reduced quality of life, and increased risk of further falls and fractures. The Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) routinely assesses fall risk to prevent secondary fractures. This study evaluates the quality of falls assessment with respect to psychological impact like fear of falling. In addition, we assessed an association of fear of falling with single or recurrent falls among patients seen by Aneurin Bevan Fracture Liaison Service (AB-FLS). Methods A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on 2176 patients reviewed by AB-FLS between January and December 2023. Falls risk assessment was documented in 81.3% (n = 1768 patients). Complete data on both falls frequency and fear of falling was only available in 50.2% (n = 1093 patients), which is a limitation of this study. Data were stratified into recurrent falls (≥2 falls) and single fall groups. Results The mean age was 79.4 ± 9.6 years (range = 50–100). Women were 76.9% (n = 1675) and men were 23.1% (n = 501). Only 5.5% (n = 60) patients were admitted from care homes. Single and recurrent falls occurred in 59.7% and 40.3% of patients respectively. The mean age (SD, range) for patents with single falls and recurrent falls were 79.1 ± 9.5 (50–100) and 79.8 ± 9.7 (53–100) respectively. Fear of falling was reported by 40.2% (n = 365). Majority of patients (89.6%, n = 327) who reported fear of falling have recurrent falls and in comparison, only 10.4% (n = 38) patients with a single fall reported fear of falling, the difference being statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion This study demonstrates fear of falling was not assessed in nearly half of the patients with fragility fractures. This study has also shown a strong association between recurrent falls and fear of falling. Patients experiencing recurrent falls were 8.6 times more likely to report fear of falling compared to single only fallers. Tailored interventions addressing both physical and psychological factors need to be incorporated in the falls assessment for patients seen through FLS.