Boonkhao Laksanee, Choochouy Nattagorn, Rattanachaikunsopon Pongsak, Laosupap Kitti, Saenrueang Thitima, Labcom Chiraporn, Chakhamrun Nittaya, Boonsang Arun, Butsorn Aree
College of Medicine and Public Health, Ubon Ratchathani University, Mueang Si Khai, Thailand.
Public Health Research Unit, College of Medicine and Public Health, Ubon Ratchathani University, Mueang Si Khai, Thailand.
Narra J. 2025 Apr;5(1):e1545. doi: 10.52225/narra.v5i1.1545. Epub 2025 Jan 1.
Falls are the most common accidents among older adults in home settings. Older adults experience falls due to several risk factors. In 2005, Thailand became an aging society, with projections indicating that by 2021, older adults would represent the majority of the population, and by 2035, approximately 30 percent of the population would be older adults. Approximately 3 million fall episodes transpire among older adults each year in Thailand, leading to almost 60,000 hospitalizations. The aim of this study was to examine the factors associated with falls among older adults in northeastern Thailand, hypothesizing that characteristics such as cognitive capacity, visual acuity, hearing acuity, balance ability, and mobility are associated with fall risk in this population. A cross-sectional analytical study involved 264 older adults aged 60 years or older using a questionnaire and a battery of tests that assessed the participants' cognitive capacity, eyesight proficiency, hearing ability, balancing ability, and mobility. The variables that exhibited a statistically significant association ( < 0.05) were employed in a binary logistic regression analysis. The results revealed that falls among home-living older adults were significantly associated with sex, family size, congenital issues, and mobility. Older adults who were female and had a large family, congenital disorders, or mobility impairments were at a higher risk of falls, which emphasizes the need for personalized prevention strategies. It is recommended to adopt a proactive healthcare strategy to prevent falls and ensure safe living conditions. Interventions aimed at improving balance, mobility, and mental health, as well as encouraging an active lifestyle, may reduce the risk of falls among older adults living in the community. The findings may aid private and government agencies in developing effective fall prevention programs for older adults living at home.
跌倒在家居环境中是老年人最常见的意外事故。老年人因多种风险因素而跌倒。2005年，泰国成为老龄化社会，预测表明到2021年，老年人将占人口的大多数，到2035年，约30%的人口将是老年人。泰国每年约有300万老年人发生跌倒事件，导致近6万例住院治疗。本研究的目的是调查泰国东北部老年人跌倒的相关因素，假设认知能力、视力、听力、平衡能力和活动能力等特征与该人群的跌倒风险相关。一项横断面分析研究纳入了264名60岁及以上的老年人，使用问卷调查和一系列测试来评估参与者的认知能力、视力水平、听力、平衡能力和活动能力。在二元逻辑回归分析中使用了具有统计学显著关联（<0.05）的变量。结果显示，居家老年人的跌倒与性别、家庭规模、先天性问题和活动能力显著相关。女性、家庭规模大、有先天性疾病或活动能力受损的老年人跌倒风险较高，这强调了个性化预防策略的必要性。建议采取积极主动的医疗保健策略来预防跌倒并确保安全的生活条件。旨在改善平衡能力、活动能力和心理健康以及鼓励积极生活方式的干预措施可能会降低社区中老年人的跌倒风险。这些发现可能有助于私人和政府机构为居家老年人制定有效的跌倒预防计划。
