Ebrahim Nabilah, Leach Lloyd
Department of Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Rd, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South Africa.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 Mar 14;22(3):432. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22030432.
Falls are a prevalent health concern with a multi-factorial origin and causing numerous complications for older adults, especially those in low- and middle-income countries, such as South Africa. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of falls among older adults living in different types of long-term care facilities in the City of Cape Town. A total of 258 males and females aged between 60 and 95 years were recruited. Data collection occurred from September 2021 to January 2022. Participants were categorized into low, moderate, or high fall risk using the fall-risk assessment tool. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics and fall prevalence. The chi-squared test determined significant associations between facility type, marital status, and educational level, and their relationship to falling. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient assessed associations between fall occurrence and various risk factors. Findings indicated that the prevalence of falls was 32.6%. Falls were significantly associated with behaviors such as agitation or confusion, and other unmentioned risk factors. Participants living in facilities run by non-profit organizations, and who had a lower education level or were single or widowed, had a higher fall prevalence. The use of anti-depressant and anti-diabetic medications was significantly linked to increased fall risk. These findings can inform future research and the development of strategies to prevent falls among older adults, particularly in LTC facilities.
跌倒是一个普遍存在的健康问题，其成因具有多因素性，会给老年人带来诸多并发症，尤其是在低收入和中等收入国家，如南非。本研究旨在确定开普敦市不同类型长期护理机构中老年人的跌倒患病率。共招募了258名年龄在60至95岁之间的男性和女性。数据收集于2021年9月至2022年1月进行。使用跌倒风险评估工具将参与者分为低、中或高跌倒风险类别。描述性统计总结了参与者的特征和跌倒患病率。卡方检验确定了机构类型、婚姻状况和教育水平之间的显著关联，以及它们与跌倒的关系。斯皮尔曼等级相关系数评估了跌倒发生与各种风险因素之间的关联。研究结果表明，跌倒患病率为32.6%。跌倒与激动或困惑等行为以及其他未提及的风险因素显著相关。居住在非营利组织运营的机构中的参与者，以及教育水平较低、单身或丧偶的参与者，跌倒患病率较高。使用抗抑郁药和抗糖尿病药物与跌倒风险增加显著相关。这些发现可为未来的研究以及预防老年人跌倒的策略制定提供参考，尤其是在长期护理机构中。
