Factors Associated with Fall Risk in the Elderly

Home Page
About
Submit A Journal
Submit A Conference
Submit Paper/Book
- Submit a Preprint
- Submit a Book
Publisher/Editor Panel
- Sign In/Sign Up

Ahi Evran Tıp Dergisi
Volume:8 Issue:3
Factors Associated with Fall Risk in the Elderly

Factors Associated with Fall Risk in the Elderly

Authors : Zehra Can Karahan, Fatma Nur Seymen, Ayşenur Özcan, Ceyhun Türkmen

Pages : 305-314

Doi:10.46332/aemj.1423200

View : 19 | Download : 22

Publication Date : 2024-12-17

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Purpose: Falls are a significant health concern for older adults. This study aimed to investigate factors influencing fall risk in elderly individuals. Materials and Methods: A total of 110 participants aged 65 and older were evaluated. Data on demographic characteristics and the number of falls in the past year were recorded. Various physical and cognitive assessments were conducted, including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) for cognitive abilities, Functional Reach Test (FRT) for anteroposterior balance, Tandem Stance Test (TST) for lateral balance, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) for overall balance, Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) for functional mobility, 1-Minute Sit-to-Stand Test (1-MST) for lower extremity strength, and cervical proprioception measurements. Results: Participants had a mean age of 71.26±6.20 years and experienced 0.41±1.02 falls in the past year. The following mean values were observed: TST time: 25.95±7.93 seconds, MoCA: 18.65±4.90, FRT: 21.83±8.38 cm, BBT: 51.11±4.47, TUG: 12.01±3.89 seconds, 1-MSTST: 18.61±8.23 repetitions, and cervical proprioception error: 15.49±13.01%. No statistically significant correlation was found between fall frequency and age (r=-0.081, p=0.399), height (r=-0.030, p=0.756), TST (r=0.144, p=0.134), cognitive level (r=-0.015, p=0.878), BBT (r=-0.079, p=0.414), and cervical proprioception (r=-0.135, p=0.160). Men reported more falls than women, with an odds ratio of 3.14 (95% CI: 1.21-8.14). Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the factors associated with falls among older adults. The findings highlight the importance of gender as a key factor in falls and reveal the potential influence of body weight, balance, cervical proprioception, and age on fall risk.
Keywords : denge, düşme, propriyosepsiyon, yaşlı

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL

VIEW PAPER (PDF)