The Relationship between Self-Rated Economic Status and Falls among the Elderly in Shandong Province, China

Zhuang Hong, Lingzhong Xu, Jinling Zhou, Long Sun, Jiajia Li, Jiao Zhang, Fangfang Hu and Zhaorong Gao
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Zhuang Hong: School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Lingzhong Xu: School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Jinling Zhou: School of Medicine and Health Management, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Long Sun: School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Jiajia Li: School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Jiao Zhang: School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Fangfang Hu: School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Zhaorong Gao: School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-9

Abstract: (1) Background: Older people are more vulnerable and likely to have falls and the consequences of these falls place a heavy burden on individuals, families and society. Many factors directly or indirectly affect the prevalence of falls. The aims of this study were to understand the prevalence and risk factors of falls among the elderly in Shandong, China; the relationship between economic level and falls was also preliminary explored. (2) Methods: Using a multi-stage stratified sampling method, 7070 elderly people aged 60 and over were selected in Shandong Province, China. General characteristics and a self-rated economic status were collected through face to face interviews. Chi-square tests, rank sum tests and two logistic regression models were performed as the main statistical methods. (3) Results: 8.59% of participants reported that they had experienced at least one fall in the past half year. There was a significant difference in experienced falls regarding gender, residence, marital status, educational level, smoking, drinking, hypertension, diabetes, coronary disease, and self-reported hearing. The worse the self-rated economic status, the higher the risk of falling, (poor and worried about livelihood, OR = 3.60, 95%; CI = 1.76–7.35). (4) Conclusions: Women, hypertension, diabetes and self-reported hearing loss were identified as the risk factors of falls in the elderly. The difference of economic level affects the falls of the elderly in rural and urban areas. More fall prevention measures should be provided for the elderly in poverty.

Keywords: elderly; falls; risk factors; rural and urban; self-rated economic status (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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