Risk of Falling and Associated Factors in Older Adults with a Previous History of Falls

Begoña Pellicer-García, Isabel Antón-Solanas, Enrique Ramón-Arbués, Loreto García-Moyano, Vicente Gea-Caballero and Raúl Juárez-Vela
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Begoña Pellicer-García: Servicio Aragonés de Salud, Sector Alcañiz Atención Primaria, Centro de Salud Andorra Calle Huesca s/n, 44500 Andorra, Teruel, Spain
Isabel Antón-Solanas: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad San Jorge, Campus Universitario, Villanueva de Gállego, Autovía A-23 Zaragoza-Huesca Km. 299, 50830 Villanueva de Gállego, Zaragoza, Spain
Enrique Ramón-Arbués: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad San Jorge, Campus Universitario, Villanueva de Gállego, Autovía A-23 Zaragoza-Huesca Km. 299, 50830 Villanueva de Gállego, Zaragoza, Spain
Loreto García-Moyano: Servicio Aragonés de Salud, Hospital General San Jorge, Av. Martínez de Velasco 36, 22004 Huesca, Spain
Vicente Gea-Caballero: Nursing School La Fe, adscript center of University of Valencia, Research Group GREIACC, Health Research Institute La Fe, Valencia (Spain), Pabellón Docente, Torre H, Avinguda de Fernando Abril Martorell 106, 46026 Valencia, Spain
Raúl Juárez-Vela: School of Nursing, University of La Rioja, Research Group PBM Idi-Paz, C/Duquesa de la Victoria 88, 26004 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 11, 1-7

Abstract: Falls in the elderly are one of the main geriatric syndromes and a clear indicator of fragility in the older adult population. This has serious consequences, leading to an increase in disability, institutionalization and death. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to analyze the prevalence of risk of falling and associated factors in a population of 213 non-institutionalised, able older adults with a history of falling in the previous year. We used the following assessment tools: Questionnaire of the WHO for the study of falls in the elderly, Geriatric Depression Scale and Tinetti’s Gait and Balance Assessment Tool. Age, using ambulatory assistive devices, polymedication, hospital admission following a fall and depression were significantly associated with risk of falling. In order to prevent fall reoccurrence, community-based fall prevention programs should be implemented.

Keywords: accidental falls; aged; gait; postural balance; risk factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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