Mental health, lifestyle factors and subsequent falls among ageing adults in South Africa
1
Issued Date
2023-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
14330237
eISSN
18155626
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85166986479
Journal Title
Journal of Psychology in Africa
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Journal of Psychology in Africa (2023)
Suggested Citation
Peltzer K. Mental health, lifestyle factors and subsequent falls among ageing adults in South Africa. Journal of Psychology in Africa (2023). doi:10.1080/14330237.2023.2219575 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/88346
Title
Mental health, lifestyle factors and subsequent falls among ageing adults in South Africa
Author(s)
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate longitudinal associations between mental health and lifestyle factors with falls among rural South Africans in the Agincourt sub-district in Mpumalanga province. We analysed longitudinal data from two consecutive waves of the Health and Ageing in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa (HAALSI), comprising 5 059 participants at baseline in 2014/2015 and 4 176 participants at follow-up in 2018/2019. The 2018/2019 survey included data on fall history. The mean age of the participants at baseline was 62.4 years (SD = 13.1 years). The prevalence of subsequent falls was 3.3% and associated with older age, short sleep, persistent depressive symptoms and low hand grip strength. Other fall incident-related factors are sedentary behaviour, functional disability and restless sleep. Those self-reporting physical activity had a lower risk for falls. Fall prevention programmes with rural living and ageing South Africans should target modifiable factors of short sleep, depressive symptoms and sedentary behaviour.