Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39693333›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2024

Factors associated with anxiety and fear of falling in older adults: A rapid systematic review of reviews.

Carly Whitmore, Sarah Neil-Sztramko, Sebastien Grenier, Amy Gough, Zahra Goodarzi, Erica Weir, Iulia Niculescu, Abitha Suthakaran, Isaac Adedeji, Mahnoor Akram and 10 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. State and Trait Anxiety Alter Postural Control in Healthy Adults.Journal of the American Academy of Audiology · 2026
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Carly WhitmoreMcMaster University, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-3974-4854
Sarah Neil-SztramkoMcMaster University, Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact, Hamilton, Canada.
Sebastien GrenierUniversité de Montréal, Psychology, Montréal, Canada.
Amy GoughDalhousie University, Psychiatry, Halifax, Canada.
Zahra GoodarziUniversity of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine-Geriatrics, Calgary, Canada.
Erica WeirQueens University, Medicine and Public Health, Kingston, Canada.
Iulia NiculescuCanadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health, Anxiety Guidelines, Toronto, Canada.
Abitha SuthakaranCanadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health, Anxiety Guidelines, Toronto, Canada.
Isaac AdedejiCanadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health, Anxiety Guidelines, Toronto, Canada.
Mahnoor AkramCanadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health, Anxiety Guidelines, Toronto, Canada.
Juliette MojganiCanadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health, Anxiety Guidelines, Toronto, Canada.
Titus ChanCanadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health, Anxiety Guidelines, Toronto, Canada.
Alastair J FlintDepartment of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Heli JuolaSunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Psychogeriatric Resources, Toronto, Canada.
Kristin ReynoldsDepartment of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Shanna TrenamanCollege of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
Michael Van AmerigenDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
Anthony YeungUniversity of British Columbia, Psychiatry, Vancouver, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-2029-4515
AnneMarie LevyUniversity Health Network, Toronto, Canada.
Andrea IaboniCanadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health, Anxiety Guidelines, Toronto, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAnxiety disorders are prevalent amongst older adults and negatively impact their quality-of-life and health. Anxiety disorders often go undetected or are misattributed to age-related changes. The aim of this systematic review of reviews, was to synthesize existing evidence on risk factors associated with anxiety in older adults to improve opportunities for early detection and intervention.

methodsA rapid systematic review of reviews was performed. Studies were included if they were systematic reviews, specific to older adults, reported modifiable or non-modifiable factors associated with increased or decreased frequency of anxiety, and reported on anxiety disorders or symptoms of anxiety (including fear of falling).

results27 papers met criteria for inclusion. A total of 77 unique risk and protective factors across demographic, health, environmental, and psychosocial domains were identified. Recurrently identified risk factors for anxiety included female sex, health (e.g., multimorbidity, sensory impairments), physical functions (e.g., impaired balance, history of falls), psychological factors (e.g., fear of falling, depression), social isolation, and sleep disturbances, whereas good physical health and balance confidence were protective.

conclusionsThis review reinforces the multifaceted and complex nature of anxiety in older adults. The results synthesized, highlight risk factors that should prompt detection of older adults for anxiety disorders and provide valuable insight for the development of tailored detection tools that better identify older adults at risk. Future research should address methodological limitations and include more diverse populations to improve opportunities for early detection and intervention in this vulnerable population.

Indexed as

Accidental FallsAnxietyFearAgedAged, 80 and overAnxiety DisordersFemaleHumansMaleQuality of LifeRisk Factors

Identifiers

PMID39693333
PMCPMC11654959

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.