Prevalence and factors associated to falls among non-institutionalized elderly people

BACKGROUND: To describe falls in urban community elderly people and to identify factors associated with their occurrence. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data from an age and sex stratified sample of the elderly people living in Leganes (n = 1183). Potentially associated factors are explored in bivariate analyses and a multivariate logistic regression analysis. The variables are entered into the equations in the causal order hypothesized. RESULTS: 14% of the elderly persons in Leganes reported at least a fall in the previous twelve months, 41% of them had consequences, 19% ended in hospitalization. In the bivariate analyses significant positive associations were found with being older than 65, female, widowhood, having more than six chronic conditions, functional limitations in lower extremities, disability, urinary incontinence and sleep problems. In the multivariate model independent associations were observed for females, functional limitations of the lower extremities, cognitive deficit, visual impairment, urinary incontinence and sleep problems. CONCLUSION: The frequency of falls in the elderly population in Leganes, Madrid, is approximately half of that reported in international studies using similar methodology. However, associations with known risk factors are confirmed in our population. The association between falls and difficulties in falling asleep found in this study should be confirmed by others.