J Korean Geriatr Soc.  2002 Sep;6(3):183-196.

A Study on the Prevalence and Associated Factors of Falls in Some Rural Elderly

• Lim NG
• Shim KB
• Kim YB
• Park JL
• Kim EY
• Na BJ
• Kim DK
• Lee MS

Abstract

BACKGROUNDS: It is to find out ins and outs of falls, and then to study risky factors that are preventable.
METHODS
Total 260 elderly people living in Nonsan who are 60 years old and over were analyzed for data. Stereotyped of those are populational, social specific, physical functions, and basis diseases. And concerning falls, it was analyzed if they have had experience of up to 5 times within 3 years recently.
RESULTS
The analyzed are total 260 people, men 112(43%), and women 148(57%). And the ones who answered they have had experience of falls are 108(41.6%), men 31(28.7%), and women 77(71.3%), showing a distinguishable difference between two groups. Women have had more experience than men have(p<0.001), and according to their age, the average age of those experienced falls showed to be higher than the one of those who have not(p=0.036). And according to their education, the ones who did not go to any schools have had more experience than those who did, showing the education has something to do with falls(p<0.001). The mean mass index(p=0.043) and average weight(p=0.023) also showed a mere difference between the group of the people who have had experience and the one of those who have not. Taking into account the fact that there were more women in the group who have had experienced falls, it is shown that there is nothing practical to pay attention to. In Activity of Daily Living(ADL) the experienced is 10.8(+/-4.2), and the unexperienced 9.1(+/-3.1), showing a mere difference between two groups(p<0.000). Concerning chronic diseases, there was no difference between those two groups, but individual patient histories showed that the experienced group had less rheumatic trouble than the unexpedenced(p=0.033). Looking at the difference of the causes for the falls according to their gender, the range of their movements(p=0.043), illumination(p=0.012), influence of alcoho1(p=0.001), and the shoes when they were falling down(p<0.001), the first aid treatments after falls(p=0.014), and influence of medications(p<0.001) showed a mere difference between men and women, while did not show any difference in seasons, time of falls, places, and the descriptions of the surfaces of the places. The mean number of falls within recent 3 years of the experienced was 1.79 times, and the comparison of the relation between the frequency and the causes of falls was done between the ones with experience of I fall, and the ones with experience of more twice falls. The average height(p=0.046) was much higher thai those with experience of more than 2 falls. There was also a mere difference between two groups in movements(p=0.009), illumination(p=0.005), influence of alcohol(p=0.003), the shoes (p=0.048), and first aid treatments after falls(p<0.001).
CONCLUSION
The group with higher risk rate includes women, age, poor education, skinny physical figures, and lack of ability to act in daily life. Therefore, those results should be considered when a preventive program of falls for elderly people is designed.

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Chronic Disease
Chungcheongnam-do
Education
Female
First Aid
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Prevalence*
Seasons
Shoes