Validation of a quality of life questionnaire measuring the subjective fear of failing in nursing home residents

A quality of life scale was developed to measure the subjective fear of falling in nursing home residents. We assessed the dimensions fear of falling, daily living and social life within a randomized controlled trial of hip protector use. The Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) was used for validation. Statistical analysis covered factor analysis, internal consistency of subscales, construct and discriminant validity. Factor analysis revealed three reliable components (Cronbach's Alpha): fear of falling (0.92), social restriction due to limited mobility (0.74) and restriction by clothes due to the hip protector (0.72). The subscales fear of falling and social restriction were significantly intercorrelated with all subscales of the NHP. The new tool is a reliable and valid measure of fear of falling in nursing home residents. However, generalizability and applicability are limited by the small proportion of subjects able to complete the tests.