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Older community‐dwelling people's comparative optimism about falling: A population‐based telephone survey
Author(s) -
Dollard Joanne,
Barton Christopher,
Newbury Jonathan,
Turnbull Deborah
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
australasian journal on ageing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1741-6612
pISSN - 1440-6381
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-6612.2012.00597.x
Subject(s) - optimism , falling (accident) , fear of falling , telephone survey , gerontology , older people , telephone interview , fall prevention , suicide prevention , medicine , poison control , demography , psychology , psychiatry , social psychology , medical emergency , sociology , advertising , social science , business
Aim: To determine whether older community‐dwelling people underestimate their own perceived chance of falling compared with that of other older people (comparative optimism), and whether a history of falls is associated with comparative optimism. Method: A sample of community‐dwelling South Australians aged ≥65 years ( n = 389) completed a computer‐assisted telephone interview about their 12‐month fall history, their perceived chance of falling and their rating of other older people's chance of falling. Results: Respondents were comparatively optimistic about their chance of falling (Z =−8.1, P < 0.001). Those who had fallen in the last 12 months had a lower comparative optimism score (Z =−3.0, P < 0.003). Conclusion: As older people were comparatively optimistic about their likelihood of falling, they might not find fall prevention messages relevant. When older people present with a fall, clinicians could provide fall prevention information consistent with how older people present themselves.