Using the 2019 and 2020 National Health and Aging Trend Study, we examined the association between fall worry and changes in depression/anxiety symptoms among community-dwelling older adults age 70+ (N = 3333). Past-month fall worry in 2020 included any fall worry (30.9%) and activity-limiting fall worry (34.0% of those with any fall worry). Changes in depression/anxiety symptoms referred to an increase or decrease in the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 symptom categories between 2019 and 2020. Those with fall worry, compared to those without, had significantly higher rates of moderate/severe depression/anxiety symptoms in 2019 and increased depression/anxiety symptoms over time. Multivariable analysis results show that increased depression anxiety symptoms were associated with higher risks of any and activity-limiting fall worry, controlling for previous year’s fall worry, fall incidents, and other health- and fall-related covariates. Older adults need to be screened for both depression/anxiety and fall worry. Effective psychosocial and behavioral interventions for both conditions are needed.

使用 2019 年和 2020 年全国健康与老龄化趋势研究，我们检查了 70 岁以上社区居住的老年人的跌倒担忧与抑郁/焦虑症状变化之间的关联 ( N= 3333）。2020 年过去一个月的跌倒担忧包括任何跌倒担忧 (30.9%) 和限制活动的跌倒担忧（34.0% 的人有任何跌倒担忧）。抑郁/焦虑症状的变化是指 2019 年至 2020 年间患者健康问卷 4 症状类别的增加或减少。与没有跌倒担心的人相比，2019 年中度/重度抑郁/焦虑症状的发生率明显更高随着时间的推移，抑郁/焦虑症状会增加。多变量分析结果表明，抑郁焦虑症状的增加与任何限制活动的跌倒担忧的风险增加相关，控制了前一年的跌倒担忧、跌倒事件以及其他与健康和跌倒相关的协变量。需要对老年人进行抑郁/焦虑和跌倒担忧筛查。