Prevalence and Associated Factors of Fall Among the Elderly in Nursing Home

Kim, Min Chung; Cho, Hankyu; Sunwoo, Sung; Kim, Seong Won; Cho, Hong Jin

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Falling in elderly has caused high mortality and morbidity rates. But research papers about falling in elderly are rate in Korea. We examined preventive methods from falling in institutionalized elderly.
METHODS
Subjects were 163 older adults residing in a nursing home. Investigators interviewed the subjects by questionnaries about falling, associated factors, environmental factors, and change after falling during last one year. We examined geriatric depression scale(GDS), mini mental status exam-Korea(MMSEK), Katz`s activities of daily living(ADL), Lawton`s instrumental activities of living. Also, we reviewed medical record. We use the student t-test and chi-sqrare test.
RESULTS
The total number of 152 subjects were consisted of 69 men and 83 women, with the mean age of 78.8. 30.3% of subjects have experienced falling during last one year, 57.2% of them have had fear of falling, and subjects with gait abnormality were 38.8% Falling occurred most commonly in summer (32.6%) around 2pm(27.7%) on the road(26.1%), because of tripping over(37.3%) during walking (32.3%), on cement(50.5%), with slippers on (56.5%). The injured subjects by falling were 84.8% and serious injuries(fracture, sutured laceration, joint dislocation or sprain, head injury with altered consciousness, hospitalization) were 19.6%. Injuried part of the body is most common in leg (46.2%) 30.4% of subjects visited hospital or emergency room after falling. Falling resulted in decreasing activity in 52.2% of subject. The factors that were significantly associated with falling were fear of falling (p<0.05), depression (p<0.05). Past history of falling, impairment of cognitive function, dizziness were weakly associated with falling. But age, hearing visual acuity, gait abnormality, ADL, anemia, degenerative arthritis were not associated with falling.
CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of falling in elderly was high. Fear of falling and depression were significantly associated with falling. Activity is decreased after falling.