Falls among older adults in the South of Brazil: prevalence and determinants

OBJECTIVE Evaluate the prevalence and the factors associated with the occurrence of falls among older adults. METHODS A cross-sectional study with a representative sample of 1,451 elderly residents in the urban area of Pelotas, RS, in 2014. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed and the prevalence of falls in the last year was presented. The analysis of demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral and health factors associated with the outcome was performed using Poisson regression with adjustment for robust variance according to the hierarchical model. The variables were adjusted to each other within each level and for the higher level. Those with p ≤ 0.20 were maintained in the model for confounding control and those with p < 0.05 were considered to be associated with the outcome. RESULTS The prevalence of falls among older adults in the last year was 28.1% (95%CI 25.9-30.5), and most occurred in the person's own residence. Among the older adults who fell, 51.5% (95%CI 46.6-56.4) had a single fall and 12.1% (95%CI 8.9-15.3) had a fracture as a consequence, usually in the lower limbs. The prevalence of falls was higher in women, adults of advanced age, with lower income and schooling level, with functional incapacity for instrumental activities, and patients with diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis. CONCLUSIONS The occurrence of falls reached almost a third of the older adults, and the prevalence was higher in specific segments of the population in question. About 12% of the older adults who fell fractured some bone. The factors associated with the occurrence of falls identified in this study may guide measures aimed at prevention in the older adult population.