The Relationship Between Activities of Daily Living and Risk of Falling in Older Individuals

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Published: 2026-03-30
DOI: https://doi.org/10.61919/n8272k66
Keywords:
Activities of Daily Living; Accidental Falls; Aged; Functional Independence; Barthel Index; Morse Fall Scale.

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Fajar Ashfaque
Doctor of Physical Therapy, House Officer, Department of Physiotherapy, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Pakistan
Muhammad Hasnain Soomro
Supervisor and Senior Lecturer, Master of Science in Neurological Physical Therapy, University of Lahore; Doctor of Physical Therapy, Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology; Hijama Therapist; Certified in Spinal and Peripheral Manipulation, Prime Physio, United Kingdom.
Soarath
Doctor of Physical Therapy, House Officer, Department of Physiotherapy, Dow Medical Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
Tania Perveen
Doctor of Physical Therapy, House Officer, Department of Physiotherapy, Combined Military Hospital, Pano Aqil, Pakistan
Yasir Khan
Doctor of Physical Therapy, House Officer, Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College, Sukkur, Pakistan
Agha Mohammad Rafi
Doctor of Physical Therapy, House Officer, Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College, Sukkur, Pakistan
Kanwal Mirani
Doctor of Physical Therapy; Hijama Therapist, Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology; Former House Officer, Sindh Rangers Hospital, Sukkur; Consultant Neurophysiotherapist, Shifa Medical Center, Khairpur, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Falls and functional dependency are major threats to independence among older adults, but evidence regarding their relationship remains limited in community settings in Pakistan. Objective: To determine the relationship between activities of daily living and fall risk among community-dwelling older adults in Sukkur. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study included 150 adults aged 65 years or older recruited through convenience sampling from Sukkur Township and Sindhi Society. Functional independence was assessed using the Barthel Index, and fall risk was evaluated using the Morse Fall Scale. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation analysis were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26.0. Results: Participants had a mean age of 75.12 ± 5.48 years; 92 (61.3%) were men. Moderate dependency was observed in 57 (38.0%) participants, while only 15 (10.0%) were fully independent. High fall risk was identified in 64 (42.6%) participants, and 116 (77.3%) had moderate or high fall risk. The mean Barthel Index and Morse Fall Scale scores were 67.85 ± 15.42 and 48.63 ± 18.21, respectively. A significant moderate inverse correlation was found between the scores (r = −0.462, 95% CI: −0.579 to −0.326; p = 0.001). Conclusion: Greater independence in activities of daily living was associated with lower fall risk. Functional assessment may support comprehensive fall-risk screening among community-dwelling older adults.

Article Details

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 6 (2026)

Section

Articles
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

1.
Fajar Ashfaque, Muhammad Hasnain Soomro, Soarath, Tania Perveen, Yasir Khan, Agha Mohammad Rafi, et al. The Relationship Between Activities of Daily Living and Risk of Falling in Older Individuals. JHWCR [Internet]. 2026 Mar. 30 [cited 2026 Jul. 31];4(6):1-8. Available from: https://jhwcr.com/index.php/jhwcr/article/view/1955

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