The influence of fear of falling on gait variability: results from a large elderly population-based cross-sectional study

Table 3 Multiple linear regression models exploring the association between stride-to-stride variability of stride time (dependent variable) and fear of falling (independent variable, with the group with no fear of falling and no falls used as reference) using a threshold for walking speed value (n = 1023)

	Change in CoV of stride time*
		Model 1^†		Model 2^†
	ß	95% CI	P-value	ß	95% CI	P-value
Fear of falling and falls combination
No fear of falling and no falls		Ref		Ref
No fear of falling and falls	0.002	[-0.029;0.033]	0.955	0.003	[-0.028;0.035]	0.917
Fear of falling and no falls	0.039	[0.007;0.071]	0.219	0.041	[0.008;0.073]	0.206
Fear of falling and falls	0.067	[0.034;0.099]	0.043	0.066	[0.033;0.099]	0.044
Age	0.088	[0.054;0.122]	0.009	0.084	[0.050;0.118]	0.013
Female gender	0.042	[0.009;0.075]	0.201	0.042	[0.009;0.075]	0.201
Number of drugs daily taken per day	0.033	[0.001;0.066]	0.296	0.033	[0.001;0.066]	0.309
Body mass index	0.030	[-0.001;0.061]	0.338	0.030	[-0.002;0.061]	0.347
Lower limb proprioception‡	0.006	[-0.026;0.038]	0.855	0.004	[-0.028;0.037]	0.898
Visual acuity§	-0.003	[-0.035;0.029]	0.923	-0.004	[-0.036;0.029]	0.913
Walking speed ≥ 1.14 m/s	-0,165	[-0,196;-0,132]	<0.001	-0.164	[-0.196;-0.132]	<0.001
Use of psychoactive drugs\|\|				-0.026	[-0.057;0.005]	0.397
Cognitive impairment#				-0.001	[-0.033;0.031]	0.981

CI = confident interval; CoV: Coefficient of variation; β: Coefficient of regression beta corresponding to change in CoV of stride expressed in%; *: increase or decrease; †: Separated models (Model 1: Model adjusted for age, gender, number of drug daily taken, body mass index, lower limb proprioception, visual acuity and walking speed ≥ 1.14 m/s; Model 2: Model 1 plus adjustment on use of psychoactive drugs and cognitive impairment); ‡: Mean value of left and right side and based on graduated tuning fork placed on the lower limb; §: Binocular visual acuity at a distance of 5 m with a Snellen letter test chart; ||: Use of benzodiazepines or antidepressants or neuroleptics; #: Participants with impaired Clock drawing test.

ISSN: 1743-0003