Citation

Petersen JD, Siersma VD, Christensen RD, Storsveen MM, Nielsen CT, Waldorff FB. Alzheimers Dement. (Amst) 2018; 10: 421-428.

Affiliation

Research Unit for General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, The Author(s), Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.dadm.2018.05.004

PMID

30151421

PMCID

PMC6107894

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Institutionalized people with dementia have an increased risk of fall accidents, but little is known about whether this increased risk holds for home dwellers.

METHODS: This register- and population-based study comprised 115,584 cases and 394,679 controls. Cases were individuals with any fall between 2009 and 2014, and matched with up to six controls on age, sex, and geographic location. Individuals were excluded if they (1) had any fall in 2008, or (2) lived in a nursing home on the date of the fall. Dementia, other chronic diseases, and sedative medicines were assessed from Danish national registers.

RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, older people with dementia living at home had a 1.89-fold higher risk of fall (odds ratio = 1.89, 95% confidence interval [1.84-1.94], P < .001).

DISCUSSION: Dementia almost doubles the risk of fall for older Danish people living at home. This highlights the need for effective fall preventions that target people with dementia.

Language: en

Keywords

Comorbidity; Dementia; Falls; Home dwellers; Sedative medicine