Citation

Varas-Fabra F, Castro Martín E, Pérula de Torres LA, Fernández Fernández MJ, Ruiz Moral R, Enciso Berge I. Aten. Primaria 2006; 38(8): 450-455.

Vernacular Title

Caidas en ancianos de la comunidad: prevalencia, consecuencias y factores

Affiliation

Area de Rehabilitacion. Servicio de Rehabilitacion. Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia. Equipo Movil de Rehabilitacion y Fisioterapia en Domicilio. Distrito Sanitario de Cordoba. Cordoba. Espana.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Sociedad Espanola de Medicina de Familia y Comunitaria, Publisher Elsevier España)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

17194370

Abstract

OBJECTIVE. To find the prevalence, characteristics, and consequences of falls in the elderly and related factors. DESIGN. Cross-sectional, descriptive study using personal interviews. SETTING. Three health districts in Cordoba city, Spain. PARTICIPANTS. A stratified sample of 362 people over 70. MAIN MEASUREMENTS. The assessment tools were the WHO questionnaire for the study of falls and the EuroQol-5D for the measurement of health-related quality of life. Uni-bivariate and multivariate analyses (P< .05) were run. RESULTS. The prevalence of falls was 31.78% (95% CI, 26.99%-36.6%); 12.98% of subjects had more than one fall in the previous year; 55.3% of falls happened at home; 71.8% of the falls had physical consequences, with 7.8% fractures; 44.7% of the elderly studied were scared of having a new fall, and 22% limited their mobility after the fall. In 30% of cases there was contact with the health system, and 3.3% needed hospital admission. The factors related to a greater risk of falls were: being older, being a woman, widowed, uneducated, with difficulties in moving both arms, suffering space disorientation, high drug consumption, and having worse perceived health status. CONCLUSIONS. Falls in the elderly living in the community are a frequent problem, with important physical, psychological and social consequences.

Language: es