Orces Carlos H
Department of Medicine, Laredo Medical Center, 1700 East Saunders, Laredo, TX 78041, USA.
Curr Gerontol Geriatr Res. 2013;2013:495468. doi: 10.1155/2013/495468. Epub 2013 Feb 7.
The present study based on a nationally representative sample of older adults living in the Andes mountains and coastal region of the country indicates that 34.7% of older adults had fallen in the previous year in Ecuador. Among fallers, 30.6% reported a fall-related injury. The prevalence of falls was higher in women and among older adults residing in the rural Andes mountains. In the multivariate model, women, subjects with cognitive impairment, those reporting urinary incontinence, and those being physically active during the previous year were variables found independently associated with increased risk of falling among older adults in Ecuador. Moreover, a gradual and linear increase in the prevalence of falls was seen as the number of risk factors increased. Falls represent a major public health problem among older adults in Ecuador. The present findings may assist public health authorities to implement programs of awareness and fall prevention among older adults at higher risk of falls.
本研究基于该国安第斯山脉和沿海地区具有全国代表性的老年人样本，结果表明，厄瓜多尔34.7%的老年人在前一年曾跌倒。在跌倒者中，30.6%报告有与跌倒相关的损伤。女性以及居住在安第斯山脉农村地区的老年人跌倒发生率更高。在多变量模型中，女性、认知障碍者、报告有尿失禁者以及前一年身体活跃者是厄瓜多尔老年人中与跌倒风险增加独立相关的变量。此外，随着风险因素数量的增加，跌倒发生率呈逐渐线性上升。跌倒在厄瓜多尔老年人中是一个主要的公共卫生问题。本研究结果可能有助于公共卫生当局针对跌倒风险较高的老年人实施提高认识和预防跌倒的项目。
