Risk Factors of Falls for Home Staying Elderly People in a Rural Community / 대한정형외과연구학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate risk factors of falls and related injuries for home-staying elderly people in a rural community, and to provide basic data to minimize injuries after falls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We surveyed for 479 subjects aged 65 or more in the region of two cites of Kyungbuk, and analyzed risk factors of falls, which more divided into intrinsic and extrinsic variables. RESULTS: Of the participants, 219 (45.7%) fell during past year. Most falls occurred during walking (50.2%), on the road (28.8%), at sunset (36.1%), and in winter (44.7%). Of 219 people, 72.6% were injured in falls, 31.5% sustained serious injuries including fractures (14.6%). The lower extremities (35.2%) were most frequently injuried. 14.6% were admitted to hospital. 76.6% who experienced falls were afraid of recurrence, and 39.7% reduced physical activity after falls. CONCLUSION: Up to these days, we have only treated patients who visited hospital, but from now on we must make effort for preventive activity. We suggest that more systemic prevention and study for intrinsic and extrinsic factors of falls are needed to minimize a degree of injury after falls in elderly people.