Assessing Concerns about Falling: A Comparison of Telephone-Based and In-Person FES-I Interviews in Older Adults

Assessing Concerns about Falling: A Comparison of Telephone-Based and In-Person FES-I Interviews in Older Adults | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Assessing Concerns about Falling: A Comparison of Telephone-Based and In-Person FES-I Interviews in Older Adults Anja Müller, Robert Kob, Ellen Freiberger, Nicolas Rohleder, Sabine Britting This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8230931/v2 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 2 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Show more versions Abstract Objective: The objective of this analysis was to assess the agreement of telephone-based Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) interviews versus face-to-face interviews in older adults. We examined whether the two modes of data collection differed in reporting concerns about falling (CaF). Methods: Data were drawn from the FEARFALL study, a longitudinal randomized controlled trial on stress and functional health in older adults with CaF. FES-I scores of 123 participants aged 70 years and older were collected via both telephone and face-to-face interviews. Differences in total scores, item-level differences, and regression models were analyzed to identify potential influencing factors. Results: Telephone interviews yielded lower FES-I scores than face-to-face interviews ( p < .001; d = -0.34). Agreement between the two modes was moderate (ICC = 0.67) with a high correlation ( r = 0.71), with heterogeneity at the item level. Two items showed significant deviations (Item 4: “bathing/showering”, p adj < .001, d = 0.36; Item 10: “answer telephone”, p adj < .001, d = 0.34). Age was significantly associated with mode-related score differences ( β = -0.326, 95% CI [-0.58, -0.07], p = .013). Conclusion: The telephone FES-I may be suitable for group-level comparisons and large-scale screenings. However, it is not equivalent to face-to-face interviews for clinical decisions in individual cases, particularly among people aged 70 years and older. Mode effects should be considered in study design and clinical interpretation. Future research should further examine potential mechanisms such as cognitive and sensory factors. Mode effects Falls Efficacy Scale-International older adults telephone interview face-to-face interview concerns about falling Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 2 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Show more versions Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8230931","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":555194178,"identity":"25191e22-2ffb-45a3-bb01-6e7d1d38377e","order_by":0,"name":"Anja 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Adults","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Mode effects, Falls Efficacy Scale-International, older adults, telephone interview, face-to-face interview, concerns about falling","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8230931/v2","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8230931/v2","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObjective:\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;The objective of this analysis was to assess the agreement of telephone-based Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) interviews versus face-to-face interviews in older adults. We examined whether the two modes of data collection differed in reporting concerns about falling (CaF).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethods:\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;Data were drawn from the FEARFALL study, a longitudinal randomized controlled trial on stress and functional health in older adults with CaF. FES-I scores of 123 participants aged 70 years and older were collected via both telephone and face-to-face interviews. Differences in total scores, item-level differences, and regression models were analyzed to identify potential influencing factors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults:\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;Telephone interviews yielded lower FES-I scores than face-to-face interviews (\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026lt; .001;\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003ed\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= -0.34). Agreement between the two modes was moderate (ICC = 0.67) with a high correlation (\u003cem\u003er\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= 0.71), with heterogeneity at the item level. Two items showed significant deviations (Item 4: “bathing/showering”,\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u003csub\u003e\u003cem\u003eadj\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026lt; .001,\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003ed\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;= 0.36; Item 10: “answer telephone”,\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u003csub\u003e\u003cem\u003eadj\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026lt; .001,\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003ed\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;= 0.34). Age was significantly associated with mode-related score differences\u0026nbsp;(\u003cem\u003eβ\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= -0.326, 95% CI [-0.58, -0.07],\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;= .013).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusion:\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;The telephone FES-I may be suitable for group-level comparisons and large-scale screenings. However, it is not equivalent to face-to-face interviews for clinical decisions in individual cases, particularly among people aged 70 years and older. Mode effects should be considered in study design and clinical interpretation. Future research should further examine potential mechanisms such as cognitive and sensory factors.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Assessing Concerns about Falling: A Comparison of Telephone-Based and In-Person FES-I Interviews in Older Adults","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":2,"date":"2026-02-18 20:58:12","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8230931/v2","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}},{"code":1,"date":"2025-12-04 10:53:47","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8230931/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"830f4fc8-af86-4340-8ce8-79e54d1ac491","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 18th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-01-21T11:52:03+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-18 20:58:12","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v2","identity":"rs-8230931","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8230931","identity":"rs-8230931","version":["v2"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}