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Bath, P.A. and Morgan, K. (1999) Differential risk factor profiles for indoor and outdoor falls in older people living at home in Nottingham, UK. European Journal of Epidemiology, 15 (1). 65 - 73.
Abstract
The objectives of this work were: to estimate the incidence of falls within an at-risk group of community-dwelling elderly people; to assess the risk factors associated with incident falls; to examine the effects of incident falls on survival. A random sample of 1042 community-dwelling older people in Nottingham (UK) were interviewed in 1985 and survivors re-interviewed at 4-year follow-up. The at-risk group was defined as survivors who had not fallen in the year prior to the baseline interview (n=444). One-year fall recall was assessed using a questionnaire and included physical health, mobility, prescribed drugs and time spent walking. Body-weight and handgrip strength were measured. Eight-year post-fall mortality was recorded. In 1989 117 new fallers were identified. These people fell a total of 233 times in the year prior to re-interview (incidence rate: 524.8 per 1000 person-years at risk; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 473.3–576.3). People aged less than 75 were more likely to fall outdoors than people aged 75␣and over (χ2=5.715, df=1, p=0.017). Risk factors associated with falling were: being less healthy (odds ratio (OR): 0.55; p=0.052); having a walking speed in the range stroll/very slow/non-ambulant compared with normal/brisk/fast (OR: 1.99; p<0.01); and number of prescribed drugs (OR: 1.30; p=0.01). When analysed separately, indoor and outdoor falls presented differential risk profiles, with evidence that indoor falls were associated with frailty, while outdoor falls were associated with compromised health status in more active people. In 8-year post-fall monitoring, multiple (3+) fallers and indoor fallers showed a significant excess mortality. The differences in risk factors for, and prognoses following, indoor and outdoor falls, emphasise the complex interactions between intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with falling among older people.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers. This is an author produced version of a paper subsequently published in European Journal of Epidemiology. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Indoor and outdoor falls; Older people. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) > Information School (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Information Studies |
Date Deposited: | 25 Apr 2014 15:28 |
Last Modified: | 25 Apr 2014 15:28 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1007531101765 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Kluwer Academic Publishers |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1023/A:1007531101765 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:78633 |
Available Versions of this Item
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Differential risk factor profiles for indoor and outdoor falls in older people living at home in Nottingham, UK. (deposited 13 Aug 2009 13:48)
- Differential risk factor profiles for indoor and outdoor falls in older people living at home in Nottingham, UK. (deposited 25 Apr 2014 15:28) [Currently Displayed]