Falls and correlations among community-dwelling older adults: A Cross-sectional study in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Falls and correlations among community-dwelling older adults: A Cross-sectional study in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Falls are one of the major health issues faced by older adults, and they can result in physical harm, eventual loss of independence, and even death. Herein, we investigated the prevalence, alongside the main risk factors and resulting injuries, of falls among older adults. We employed a descriptive...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pakistan journal of medical sciences Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 109 - 116
Main Authors: Alamri, Sultan H, Ghamri, Ranya A, Alshehri, Wejdan H, Alhuthayli, Reema S, Alamoudi, Nouf M, Alnufaei, Ragheed D, Alkeridy, Walid A
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Pakistan Knowledge Bylanes 01-01-2023
Professional Medical Publications
Subjects:
Aged
Analysis
Original
Saudi Arabia
prevalence
falls
injuries
Jeddah
older adults
risk
community-dwelling
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Summary:Falls are one of the major health issues faced by older adults, and they can result in physical harm, eventual loss of independence, and even death. Herein, we investigated the prevalence, alongside the main risk factors and resulting injuries, of falls among older adults. We employed a descriptive cross-sectional approach. Data were collected between February and July 2021 from 403 older adults aged 60 years or above via an online self-reported questionnaire. Basic activities of daily living (BADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) were also recorded. The prevalence of falls among community-dwelling older adults was 47.4%. Among those who had experienced a fall, 36.2% incurred injuries, 25.3% had fractures, and 23.1% required walking aids. Age between 95-104 years, female sex, participants on anti-hypertensive medications, history of hip or knee replacement surgery, and presence of a caregiver, were significantly more likely to have had a previous history of falls (p < 0.05). Furthermore, having a previous history of stroke, osteoporosis, lower limb weakness, dizziness, using wheelchairs as walking aids, and living with the fear of stumbling or slipping were significantly associated with history of previous falls (p < 0.05). The prevalence of falls is high among community-dwelling older adults in Jeddah. Physicians should identify older adults with higher falling risk and provide them with appropriate interventions. Public health strategies could significantly reduce falls and fall-related injuries in older adults.
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ISSN:1682-024X
1681-715X
DOI:10.12669/pjms.39.1.6993