Impact of psychosocial factors on balance among Hispanic seniors

Background/Objective: Falling is associated with a decline in the ability to respond to balance threats. Although studies have shown that the ability to control balance declines with age, the majority of participants in fall-related studies are Caucasians. There is a dearth of information on the relationship between psychosocial status and functional differences in Hispanic seniors. Methods: We recruited 48 Hispanic adults, with an average age of 67 years, from a local intercultural senior center in a Midwestern metropolitan city. Participants completed a set physical assessment tests [Single limb stance (SLS), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test] to determine the functional status and two questionnaires to asses psychosocial status -- Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD) for evaluating depression and Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire (NSSQ) for social support status. Spearman correlations were used to examine all relationships. Results: Poor balance was significantly related to a higher level of depression in CESD [SLS (R=-0.43), DGI (R=-0.33), BBS (R=-0.34), TUG (R=0.30)] (p<0.05) and a lower level of social support in NSSQ [BBS (R=0.36, p<0.05)]. More importantly, the association between CESD and poor balance was more significant after the adjustment of age (p<0.01). Conclusion: These results confirm that depression and poor social support among Hispanic seniors could impact physical performance, which may lead to falls and injuries. To reduce the public health burden associated with fall injuries among Hispanic population, it is crucial to understand the relationship between psychosocial status and physical functioning.