J Korean Acad Community Health Nurs.  2007 Mar;18(1):14-22.

Experience of Falls and Predictors of Falls in the Elderly at Senior Citizens' Centers

• Yoo IY
• Choi JH

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience of falls, the fear of falling and fall efficacy and identify the predictors of falls in the elderly at senior citizens' centers. METHOD: The subjects of this study were 106 elders who used senior citizens' centers in Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea. Data were collected from May to June, 2006 through a survey using a structured questionnaire. RESULT: Of the elderly sampled, 35.8% experienced falls during the last 1 year. Of falls experienced by the elderly, 53% occurred indoors, 47% outdoors, 15.8% in the bathroom or toilet. In addition, 57.8% of the elderly had injuries on the hip and waist related with falls. The fear of falling was higher in those with experience in falls than in those without. Factors affecting the elders' falls were age (OR=1.113, 95% CI=1.012-1.224), the number of chronic disease (OR=2.342, 95% CI=1.365-4.019) and the fear of falling (OR=4.279, 95% CI=1.901-9.634). The predictor of the frequency of falls was fall efficacy (R2=24.9).
CONCLUSION
As a result, it is essential to develop fall prevention programs based on the fear of falling, fall efficacy, chronic diseases and medication state. And in senior citizens' centers, fall prevention safety education should be activated as a health promotion program.

Keyword

Elderly; Falls; Fear; Self-efficacy

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Chronic Disease
Chungcheongbuk-do
Education
Health Promotion
Hip
Humans
Korea
Surveys and Questionnaires