Gazibara Tatjana, Kurtagic Ilma, Kisic-Tepavcevic Darija, Nurkovic Selmina, Kovacevic Nikolina, Gazibara Teodora, Pekmezovic Tatjana
Institute of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
Psychogeriatrics. 2017 Jul;17(4):215-223. doi: 10.1111/psyg.12217. Epub 2017 Jan 27.
Falling represents a major public health problem among older persons because it leads to premature mortality, loss of independence, and placement in assisted-living facilities. The purpose of this study was to assess the main features and risks for falls among persons older than 65 years of age as well as to quantify their fear of falling.
A total of 354 persons older than 65 years of age were recruited at a community health centre. Characteristics of the most recent fall were obtained through detailed interviews with study participants. The Falls Efficacy Scale was used to quantify fear of falling.
Frequency of falling was 15.8%. Falls occurred most often while walking (49%). One-half of fallers (49.1%) sustained an injury. Head haematomas and soft tissues contusions were the most common consequences of falls. The average Falls Efficacy Scale score was significantly higher in fallers ( P = 0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that having a fear of falling (odds ratio = 4.14, 95% confidence interval: 1.22-14.08, P = 0.02) and being a woman (odds ratio = 2.10, 95% confidence interval: 0.97-4.53, P = 0.05) were independent risk factors for falling among older persons.
The frequency of falls among older people was similar to those in other populations. These results could be used to help select older persons who should be enrolled in fall prevention programmes.
跌倒在老年人中是一个重大的公共卫生问题，因为它会导致过早死亡、失去独立生活能力以及被安置在辅助生活设施中。本研究的目的是评估65岁以上人群跌倒的主要特征和风险，并量化他们对跌倒的恐惧。
在一个社区健康中心招募了354名65岁以上的人。通过与研究参与者的详细访谈获得最近一次跌倒的特征。使用跌倒效能感量表来量化对跌倒的恐惧。
跌倒发生率为15.8%。跌倒最常发生在行走时（49%）。一半的跌倒者（49.1%）受到了伤害。头部血肿和软组织挫伤是跌倒最常见的后果。跌倒者的跌倒效能感量表平均得分显著更高（P = 0.001）。多因素逻辑回归分析显示，害怕跌倒（比值比 = 4.14，95%置信区间：1.22 - 14.08，P = 0.02）和女性（比值比 = 2.10，95%置信区间：0.97 - 4.53，P = 0.05）是老年人跌倒的独立危险因素。
老年人跌倒的发生率与其他人群相似。这些结果可用于帮助选择应纳入跌倒预防计划的老年人。
