Pet Ownership in Childhood and Socio-Emotional Characteristics,Work Values and Professional Choices in Early Adulthood

ABSTRACT

The main goal of this study, partly retrospective in character, was to explore if and how pet ownership in childhood is related to several indicators of socio-emotional development, as well as work values and professional choices in early adulthood. The sample consisted of 356 students (200 females, 156 males) from different colleges of the University of Zagreb, representing helping (n=200) and non-helping (n=156) professions. The mean age of the students was 21 years. Seventy-four percent of the participants had had a pet during childhood, mostly dogs. Participants who had owned a pet during childhood reported quite a strong attachment to it. In addition, pets were rated lower than family members and friends, but higher than television, relatives and neighbors in terms of the social support derived from them during childhood. Discriminant analysis was performed in order to examine whether young adults – those who had owned a pet during childhood and those who hadn't – differed in emotional and motivational characteristics, and whether there was a correlation with their chosen subject of study. Pet ownership in childhood was a grouping variable, while measures of current socio-emotional functioning (empathy, prosocial behavior, social anxiety and loneliness), value orientations (self-actualisation, individualistic, social, utilitarian and adventurous) and chosen subject of study (helping or non-helping profession) were predictors. A significant discriminant function was obtained. Correlations between discriminating variables and discriminant function showed that young adults who had had a pet during childhood were more empathetic, more prone to choose helping professions, and more oriented towards social values than those who did not have a pet during childhood.     

A multivariate twin study of hippocampal volume, self-esteem and well-being in middle-aged men

Self-esteem and well-being are important for successful aging, and some evidence suggests that self-esteem and well-being are associated with hippocampal volume, cognition and stress responsivity. Whereas most of this evidence is based on studies on older adults, we investigated self-esteem, well-being and hippocampal volume in 474 male middle-aged twins. Self-esteem was significantly positively correlated with hippocampal volume (0.09, P = 0.03 for left hippocampus, 0.10, P = 0.04 for right). Correlations for well-being were not significant (Ps > 0.05). There were strong phenotypic correlations between self-esteem and well-being (0.72, P < 0.001) and between left and right hippocampal volume (0.72, P < 0.001). In multivariate genetic analyses, a two-factor additive genetic and unique environmental (AE) model with well-being and self-esteem on one factor and left and right hippocampal volumes on the other factor fits the data better than Cholesky, independent pathway or common pathway models. The correlation between the two genetic factors was 0.12 (P = 0.03); the correlation between the environmental factors was 0.09 (P > 0.05). Our results indicate that largely different genetic and environmental factors underlie self-esteem and well-being on one hand and hippocampal volume on the other.     

Globale zelfwaardering bij dementie

Measurement of global self-esteem in dementia. Reliability and validity of Brinkman’s self-esteem scale In a person-centered approach to dementia-care, the self-concept of people suffering from dementia receives more and more attention. There is, however, a lack of direct measures of self-esteem, which is the evaluative component of the self-concept. An 8-item scale to tap global self-esteem was administered to 245 consecutive visitors of a psychogeriatric day care centre. Mokken scale analysis revealed a scalability coefficient of H = 0.44, which is in the medium range. The item responses were explained by a double monotonicity model, allowing for a reliable ordering of subjects and items on the latent trait ‘self-esteem’. One-week test-retest reliability on the self-esteem scale was 0.68. Scalability and reliability were about equal across subgroups differing in severity of dementia. Patients were asked to give themselves a rating (1-10) for their estimated sense of self-worth. These ratings correlated 0.55 with scores on the self-esteem scale. Self-esteem was negatively related to measures of depression, fatigue and loneliness, but not to the level of cognitive impairment of the patient. As an independent measure of subjective well-being, self-esteem deserves particular attention in the assessment and treatment of dementia patients. Tijdschr Gerontol Geriatr 2007; 38:122-133     

The effects of EMG-assisted relaxation training on the academic performance, locus of control, and self-esteem of hyperactive boys

This study investigated effects of EMG-assisted relaxation training on the academic performance, locus of control, and self-esteem of hyperactive junior high school-age boys. Twenty-four subjects each were randomly assigned to the treatment and control condition. Treatment consisted of six 20 to 25-minute sessions conducted biweekly. Pretreatment frontalis EMG, math, reading, and language performance, locus of control, and self-esteem were assessed for both groups. Outcome measures were again obtained on these dependent variables 2 weeks after the last treatment session. Experimental subjects demonstrated significantly higher posttreatment reading and language performance. Math performance gain did not reach statistical significance. A significant internal shift in locus of control was observed; however, self-esteem did not improve to that level. These outcomes correlated with significantly lower posttreatment frontalis EMG in the experimental group. EMG level did not change during the course of this study for control subjects. Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of existent research.     

Las ganas de vivir como expresión del bienestar de las personas mayores

IntroductionWill-to-live, a central concept in well-being theories, represents a positive attitudinal component towards one's own life. It has been identified as a mediator between the self-perception of aging and longevity and health. The objective of this study is to characterise elderly people with high levels of will-to-live in the main dimensions of positive psychology.MethodThe study included the voluntary participation of 165 adults, aged between 54-89 years, users of senior centres in the Community of Madrid. Will-to-live and other dimensions of well-being and health were evaluated. The correlations between the different evaluated dimensions were analysed, and comparisons made in terms of different levels of will-to-live, as well as an analysis of the dimensions that contribute most to the will-to-live.ResultsCorrelations among the majority of variables were statistically significant, with a decrease in the coefficients being observed when controlling the effect of the will-to-live. When groups with different levels of will-to-live are compared with well-being and health, there are statistically significant differences in practically all of the dimensions. Gratitude, positive affect, and depression are the dimensions that best predict will-to-live.ConclusionOlder adults that make up the group with high will-to-live are characterised by higher levels of optimism, gratitude, positive affect, sense of life, psychological prosperity, resilience, happiness, and satisfaction with life, as well as lower levels of depression and negative self-perception of aging. The implications of these results point towards the relevance of will-to-live in successful aging.     

Sleep and Academic Performance in Undergraduates: A Multi-measure,Multi-predictor Approach

The present study examined the associations of sleep patterns with multiple measures of academic achievement of undergraduate university students and tested whether sleep variables emerged as significant predictors of subsequent academic performance when other potential predictors, such as class attendance, time devoted to study, and substance use are considered. A sample of 1654 (55% female) full-time undergraduates 17 to 25 yrs of age responded to a self-response questionnaire on sleep, academics, lifestyle, and well-being that was administered at the middle of the semester. In addition to self-reported measures of academic performance, a final grade for each student was collected at the end of the semester. Univariate analyses found that sleep phase, morningness/eveningness preference, sleep deprivation, sleep quality, and sleep irregularity were significantly associated with at least two academic performance measures. Among 15 potential predictors, stepwise multiple regression analysis identified 5 significant predictors of end-of-semester marks: previous academic achievement, class attendance, sufficient sleep, night outings, and sleep quality (R²?=?0.14 and adjusted R²?=?0.14, F(5, 1234)?=?40.99, p?<?.0001). Associations between academic achievement and the remaining sleep variables as well as the academic, well-being, and lifestyle variables lost significance in stepwise regression. Together with class attendance, night outings, and previous academic achievement, self-reported sleep quality and self-reported frequency of sufficient sleep were among the main predictors of academic performance, adding an independent and significant contribution, regardless of academic variables and lifestyles of the students. (Author correspondence: ana.allen@ua.pt)     

Evaluación pre-post de un programa intergeneracional para mejorar el bienestar en personas mayores y los estereotipos edadistas en alumnos de primaria y secundaria: proyecto CRENCO

ObjectiveThe present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the CRENCO project which was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic including intergenerational activities shared by students from primary and secondary education and users of two centers for older adults and a day hospital in Catalonia. The effectiveness was assessed in terms of well-being in older adults and on negative stereotypes about the elderly in primary and secondary students.MethodsThree interventions were carried out in which 32 older persons (9 users of centers for older adults and 23 of a day hospital), 99 primary students and 56 secondary students participated. Participants answered a questionnaire before and after the interventions. Through multilevel linear models for repeated measures, changes in feelings of loneliness, social support, anxiety and depressive symptoms, self-reported health and health-related quality of life were evaluated in older people. In primary and secondary students, changes in age stereotypes were evaluated.ResultsHealth-related quality of life and self-reported health improved statistically after the interventions in older persons. Users of the day hospital also reported an improvement in social support. Primary school students improved their age stereotypes; no statistically significant changes were detected in secondary students.ConclusionThe results of the present study contribute to underlining the importance of intergenerational programs such as the one proposed by CRENCO, capable of improving well-being and providing a more realistic vision of the older adults. Our results suggest that these programs should be implemented during childhood in order to prevent the proliferation of ageist stereotypes in later life stages.     

An intervention to improve teacher well-being support and training to support students in UK high schools (the WISE study): A cluster randomised controlled trial

BackgroundTeachers are at heightened risk of poor mental health and well-being, which is likely to impact on the support they provide to students, and student outcomes. We conducted a cluster randomised controlled trial, to test whether an intervention to improve mental health support and training for high school teachers led to improved mental health and well-being for teachers and students, compared to usual practice. We also conducted a cost evaluation of the intervention.Methods and findingsThe intervention comprised (i) Mental Health First Aid training for teachers to support students; (ii) a mental health awareness session; and (iii) a confidential staff peer support service. In total 25 mainstream, non-fee-paying secondary schools stratified by geographical area and free school meal entitlement were randomly allocated to intervention (n = 12) or control group (n = 13) after collection of baseline measures. We analysed data using mixed-effects repeated measures models in the intention-to-treat population, adjusted for stratification variables, sex, and years of experience. The primary outcome was teacher well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale). Secondary outcomes were teacher depression, absence, and presenteeism, and student well-being, mental health difficulties, attendance, and attainment. Follow-up was at months 12 (T1) and 24 (T2). We collected process data to test the logic model underpinning the intervention, to aid interpretation of the findings. A total of 1,722 teachers were included in the primary analysis. Teacher well-being did not differ between groups at T2 (intervention mean well-being score 47.5, control group mean well-being score 48.4, adjusted mean difference −0.90, 95% CI –2.07 to 0.27, p = 0.130). The only effect on secondary outcomes was higher teacher-reported absence among the intervention group at T2 (intervention group median number of days absent 0, control group median number of days absent 0, ratio of geometric means 1.04, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.09, p = 0.042). Process measures indicated little change in perceived mental health support, quality of relationships, and work-related stress. The average cost of the intervention was £9,103 per school. The study’s main limitations were a lack of blinding of research participants and the self-report nature of the outcome measures.ConclusionsIn this study, we observed no improvements to teacher or student mental health following the intervention, possibly due to a lack of impact on key drivers of poor mental health within the school environment. Future research should focus on structural and cultural changes to the school environment, which may be more effective at improving teacher and student mental health and well-being.Trial registrationwww.isrctn.com ISRCTN95909211.

Using a cluster randomized study, Judi Kidger and colleagues study an intervention to improve teacher wellbeing support and training to support students in UK high schools (the WISE study).     

Assessing the Validity of Self-Rated Health with the Short Physical Performance Battery: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the International Mobility in Aging Study

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore the validity of self-rated health across different populations of older adults, when compared to the Short Physical Performance Battery.DesignCross-sectional analysis of the International Mobility in Aging Study.SettingFive locations: Saint-Hyacinthe and Kingston (Canada), Tirana (Albania), Manizales (Colombia), and Natal (Brazil).ParticipantsOlder adults between 65 and 74 years old (n = 1,995).MethodsThe Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was used to measure physical performance. Self-rated health was assessed with one single five-point question. Linear trends between SPPB scores and self-rated health were tested separately for men and women at each of the five international study sites. Poor physical performance (independent variable) (SPPB less than 8) was used in logistic regression models of self-rated health (dependent variable), adjusting for potential covariates. All analyses were stratified by gender and site of origin.ResultsA significant linear association was found between the mean scores of the Short Physical Performance Battery and ordinal categories of self-rated health across research sites and gender groups. After extensive control for objective physical and mental health indicators and socio-demographic variables, these graded associations became non-significant in some research sites.ConclusionThese findings further confirm the validity of SRH as a measure of overall health status in older adults.     

Muscle synergies underlying sit-to-stand tasks in elderly people and their relationship with kinetic characteristics

BackgroundPhysiological evidence suggests that the nervous system controls motion by using a low-dimensional synergy organization for muscle activation. Because the muscle activation produces joint torques, kinetic changes accompanying aging can be related to changes in muscle synergies.ObjectivesWe explored the effects of aging on muscle synergies underlying sit-to-stand tasks, and examined their relationships with kinetic characteristics.MethodsFour younger and three older adults performed the sit-to-stand task at two speeds. Subsequently, we extracted the muscle synergies used to perform these tasks. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to classify these synergies. We also calculated kinetic variables to compare the groups.ResultsThree independent muscle synergies generally appeared in each subject. The spatial structure of these synergies was similar across age groups. The change in motion speed affected only the temporal structure of these synergies. However, subject-specific muscle synergies and kinetic variables existed.ConclusionsOur results suggest common muscle synergies underlying the sit-to-stand task in both young and elderly adults. People may actively change only the temporal structure of each muscle synergy. The precise subject-specific structuring of each muscle synergy may incorporate knowledge of the musculoskeletal kinetics.     

Towards empirical comparison of immigrant integration across nations

ABSTRACT

The ambitious attempt by Richard Alba and Nancy Foner to provide a comprehensive empirical analysis of immigrant integration across several immigration nations – namely the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the Netherlands – concludes that low-status immigrant groups are marginal across all of these countries, and overall none of them stands out as particularly positive or negative. At the same time, some countries perform better than others on specific dimensions of integration, offset by less-favourable results on others. Dimensions examined include employment and economic mobility, overall economic well-being, residential inclusion, overcoming marginality based on race and religion, access to citizenship and political power, education for the children of immigrants, inter-group marriages and identification with the national society. The complexity of the analysis is daunting, and troubled in some aspects by empirical and methodological issues. The effort nonetheless moves the field forward substantially, and defines a new agenda for future research.     

Balance control is impaired in adults with sickle cell anaemia

Abstract

Background: Musculoskeletal involvement and cerebrovascular disease are common in sickle cell anaemia (SCA). These changes are potentially important factors that modify the control of balance in this population.

Objective: To assess balance control in adults with SCA and investigate the associations among balance, posture and muscle function.

Methods: Twenty neurologically intact (i.e. without previous episodes of overt stroke or transient ischaemic attack) adults with SCA and 18 controls were evaluated. All participants underwent static balance measurement through stabilometry, postural evaluation through photogrammetry and assessment of muscle function through handgrip and respiratory muscle strength.

Results: Compared to the controls, the adults with SCA exhibited greater displacement of the centre of mass, particularly in the mediolateral direction. Moreover, the adults with SCA exhibited greater postural deviations for the following variables: angles of the right and left hip, horizontal asymmetry of the scapula in relation to T3, angles of the right and left leg-heel and horizontal alignment of the pelvis. Handgrip strength, respiratory muscle strength and haemoglobin (Hb) levels were significantly correlated with postural balance measurements. Significant correlations between balance and posture were only observed between the variables of balance and the postural parameters that involved the angulations calculated from the vertical alignment of the pelvis, hip and ankle.

Conclusions: Neurologically intact adults with SCA exhibit damage in static balance, particularly in the mediolateral direction. These patients present postural deviations due to changes in the hip and ankle joints. In addition, balance control is related to posture, Hb level and muscle function.     

Armonización de bases de datos para el estudio de la fragilidad en personas mayores: Estudio INTAFRADE

ObjectivesThe main objective of the present work is to evaluate the feasibility of harmonising the available information from different independent databases, in order to build an integrated database to study frailty.Material and methodsThis work is based on the European project, Integral Approach to the Transition between Frailty and Dependence on older adults: Patterns of occurrence, identification tools and model of care (INTAFRADE), developed by 4 groups, 3 in Spain and one in France. Each partner provided their databases related to the study of frailty. As a previous step to the creation of an integrated database the characteristics and variables included in each study were mapped, specifying whether their harmonisation was possible or not.ResultsA total of 30 different variables that corresponded to 8 dimensions were identified: Sociodemographic and social characteristics, health status, lifestyle habits, anthropometric measures, other physical measurements, use of health services, and adverse health results. Of them all, 28 (93%) variables were harmonisable, although only 20% were present in all databases, with 47% in 3 of them. In relation to the frailty instruments, all of them were lacking at least 50% of the items. The harmonisation process will allow us to jointly analyse information available on 2,361 people.ConclusionsThe European INTAFRADE study will allow a deeper understanding of the frailty process in older people by harmonising information from heterogeneous databases.     

Effect of Childhood Victimization on Occupational Prestige and Income Trajectories

BackgroundViolence toward children (childhood victimization) is a major public health problem, with long-term consequences on economic well-being. The purpose of this study was to determine whether childhood victimization affects occupational prestige and income in young adulthood. We hypothesized that young adults who experienced more childhood victimizations would have less prestigious jobs and lower incomes relative to those with no victimization history. We also explored the pathways in which childhood victimization mediates the relationships between background variables, such as parent’s educational impact on the socioeconomic transition into adulthood.MethodsA nationally representative sample of 8,901 young adults aged 18–28 surveyed between 1999–2009 from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY) were analyzed. Covariate-adjusted multivariate linear regression and path models were used to estimate the effects of victimization and covariates on income and prestige levels and on income and prestige trajectories. After each participant turned 18, their annual 2002 Census job code was assigned a yearly prestige score based on the 1989 General Social Survey, and their annual income was calculated via self-reports. Occupational prestige and annual income are time-varying variables measured from 1999–2009. Victimization effects were tested for moderation by sex, race, and ethnicity in the multivariate models.ResultsApproximately half of our sample reported at least one instance of childhood victimization before the age of 18. Major findings include 1) childhood victimization resulted in slower income and prestige growth over time, and 2) mediation analyses suggested that this slower prestige and earnings arose because victims did not get the same amount of education as non-victims.ConclusionsResults indicated that the consequences of victimization negatively affected economic success throughout young adulthood, primarily by slowing the growth in prosperity due to lower education levels.     

Mixed emotional experience is associated with and precedes improvements in psychological well-being

Background

The relationships between positive and negative emotional experience and physical and psychological well-being have been well-documented. The present study examines the prospective positive relationship between concurrent positive and negative emotional experience and psychological well-being in the context of psychotherapy.

Methods

47 adults undergoing psychotherapy completed measures of psychological well-being and wrote private narratives that were coded by trained raters for emotional content.

Results

The specific concurrent experience of happiness and sadness was associated with improvements in psychological well-being above and beyond the impact of the passage of time, personality traits, or the independent effects of happiness and sadness. Changes in mixed emotional experience preceded improvements in well-being.

Conclusions

Experiencing happiness alongside sadness in psychotherapy may be a harbinger of improvement in psychological well-being.     

Serum creatine is not a reliable marker of muscular fitness in young adults

Purpose: Elevated serum creatine and higher handgrip strength are individually associated with better health profiles yet the link between two variables remains unknown. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated serum creatine levels in relation to handgrip strength in a cohort of 130 young healthy adults (61 women and 69 men; age 23.3?±?2.6?years), while controlling for age, gender, fat-free mass and biomarkers of creatine metabolism as effect modifiers.

Materials and methods: Serum creatine, creatinine and guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) levels were measured with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy, while handgrip strength was assessed with a hydraulic hand dynamometer.

Results: Hierarchical multiple regression revealed that our model as a whole explained 79.9% of the variance in handgrip strength (p?p?p?>?0.05).

Conclusions: Having higher blood creatine appears to be unrelated with better physical performance in young healthy adults. Serum creatine was not a reliable marker of muscular fitness in this population.     

Phenological patterns and pollination network structure in a Venezuelan páramo: a community-scale perspective on plant-animal interactions

ABSTRACT

Background: Little information is available about life history of páramo plants such as phenology and plant-animal interactions.

Aims: We analysed phenological patterns of flowering and characterised the structure of a plant-pollinator network in a Venezuelan páramo in order to identify key species in this ecosystem.

Methods: We counted the number of individuals with flowers of 76 native plant species and recorded their pollinators in 16 permanent plots between 3000 and 4200 m monthly for three years. We used this dataset to develop a plant-pollinator network, on which nine different metrics related to structural properties were calculated.

Results: The flowering of most species concentrated during the rainy season (between May and November), however some species have continuous flowering. The guild of floral visitors included hummingbirds, flower piercers, bumblebees, Diptera and Lepidoptera. The plant – flower visitor interaction network did not exhibit nestedness, but showed a significant specialization index (H2) and high values of functional complementarity.

Conclusions: Páramo plants have the capacity of maintaining a resident nectarivorus fauna (bumblebees and hummingbirds) because of continuous flower offer during the year. However, the plant – pollinator network identified could be very sensitive to the loss component species, owing to high levels of specialisation and functional complementarity.     

Biopsychosocial Factors and Cognitive Function in Cat Ownership and Attachment in Community-dwelling Older Adults

ABSTRACT

Few studies consider the health benefits of pet ownership from a biopsychosocial perspective, and a paucity of studies investigate cat ownership. The current study was designed to determine if psychosocial factors (stress, loneliness, and depression), biological levels of stress and inflammation (salivary cortisol, interleukin-1β, and C-reactive protein [CRP]), and cognitive function were associated with companion cat ownership/attachment in community-dwelling older adults. Community-dwelling older adults (n = 96, mean age = 76.6 years) who either owned a cat and no dog (n = 41) or owned neither a cat nor a dog (n = 55) completed questionnaires (Perceived Stress Scale, Revised–UCLA Loneliness Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale) and provided saliva specimens which were assayed for stress and inflammatory biomarkers. The majority of participants screened positive for mild cognitive impairment, reported low levels of stress, loneliness, and depression, and the biomarkers reflected fairly low levels of stress and inflammation. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that psychosocial factors, salivary biomarkers, and cognitive function were not significantly associated with cat ownership. Age was the only significant predictor of cat ownership (OR = 0.92, p < 0.01) with the odds of cat ownership decreasing by 8.3% per year of advancing age. On average, cat owners were “somewhat attached” to their cats; however, 26% were “strongly attached” to their cats. Correlation analyses revealed the level of attachment to cats was not associated with study outcomes. These results show that cat ownership declined with each advancing year, which lessens the opportunity for older adults to form attachment bonds. The level of pet attachment supports the consideration of cats as a source of an attachment relationship for older adults, including those with cognitive impairment.     

Association between ACE gene polymorphism and carotid stenosisand and construction of related gene regulatory networks

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between DD, ID and II genotypes of ACE gene and carotid stenosis, and to construct a network of ACE-related genes regulating carotid stenosis.ApproachesMeta-analysis was used to study the association between three genotypes DD, ID and II of carotid stenosis susceptibility gene ACE; functional annotation of ACE gene was conducted by GO analysis; and a network of ACE-related genes that regulate the mechanisms of carotid stenosis was established.ResultsMeta-analysis showed that DD and II genotypes of ACE gene were associated with carotid stenosis. GO analysis showed that the main biological processes involved in ACE include: the process of transforming angiotensinogen into mature angiotensin; angiotensin’s mediation of the brain's response to alcohol consumption and thirst control; any chemical reaction involving the regulation of angiotensin; and the process of catalyzing the release of a C-terminal dipeptide from a polypeptide chain. A network of ACE gene regulation of carotid stenosis was constructed in combination with KEGG analysis.ConclusionThe ACE gene is a susceptibility gene for carotid stenosis. Through the functional annotation and pathway analysis of ACE gene, an ACE gene-involved carotid stenosis regulatory mechanisms network was constructed.     

Characteristics of balance control in older persons who fall with injury – A prospective study

ObjectiveOlder adults who have recently fallen demonstrate increased postural sway compared with non-fallers. However, the differences in postural control between older adults who were seriously injured (SI) as a result of a fall, compared with those who fell but were not injured (NSI) and non-fallers (NFs), has not been investigated. The objective of the present study was to investigate the underlying postural control mechanisms related to injuries resulting from a fall.MethodsBoth traditional postural sway measures of foot center-of-pressure (CoP) displacements and fractal measures, the Stabilogram-Diffusion Analysis (SDA), were used to characterize the postural control. One hundred older adults aged 65–91 years were tested during narrow base upright stance in eyes closed condition; falls were monitored over a 1-year period.ResultsForty-nine older adults fell during the 1-year follow-up, 13 were seriously injured as a result of a fall (SI), 36 were not injured (NSI), and 49 were non-fallers (NFs); two passed away. The SDA showed significantly higher short-term diffusion coefficients and critical displacements in SI in the anterior–posterior direction compared with both NSI and NF. However, in the medio-lateral direction there were no statistically significant differences between groups. For the traditional measures of sway, the average anterior–posterior CoP range was also larger in SI individuals.ConclusionsThis work suggests that older fallers with a deterioration of anterior–posterior postural control may be at higher risk of serious injury following fall events.