Fall behaviors and risk factors among elderly patients with hip fractures

ABSTRACT

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to investigate fall preventive behaviors in elderly patients who suffered hip fractures as a result of falling. Methods This descriptive and cross-sectional study was performed at a university hospital in Izmir, Turkey between January 2014 and December 2015. Data were collected using the Fall Behaviors Scale for Old People. This study was conducted with 103 patients who had a hip fracture caused by falling. Descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used. Results There was a significant difference between age groups in this score (KW = 6.85, p = 0.03). The patients aged 85-96 years obtained significantly higher scores for the sub-scales of protective mobility (KW = 8.71, p = 0.01) and avoidance (KW = 6.03, p = 0.04) than patients in the other age groups. There was not a significant difference in fall prevention behaviors between the elderly with a history of a repeated falls and those without a repeated fall history. Conclusion Although elderly people with hip fractures due to falling has highly protective behavior, they have fallen. Advanced age patient has showed more protective behavior for falling.