Latent classes based on fall risk factors in community‐dwelling older adults: The 2017 National Survey of Older Persons

Aims This work aimed to classify the elderly according to fall risk factors and to identify the characteristics of the latent classes. Background Falls mainly occur due to combinations of various risk factors, and each older adult has a different combination of risk factors. Design This was a secondary data analysis using data from the 2017 National Survey of Older Persons conducted by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare. Methods Latent class analysis and multiple logistic regression were performed using data from 1556 older adults who experienced at least one fall during 1 year (1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016). Indicator variables included eight fall risk factors. Results A 3‐class solution was selected according to acceptable goodness of fit. The ‘healthy falls risk class’ included over half of the cohort, and the comprised older adults did not show typical health problems. The ‘complex falls risk class’ included older people with physical and mental problems, and the ‘musculoskeletal falls risk class’ included older people with osteoarthritis and back pain. Conclusion The results identified combinations of fall risk factors and characteristics among community‐dwelling older adults that may contribute to the planning of effective fall prevention programmes. Summary statement What is already known about this topic? Previous studies have analysed the impact of individual risk factors for falls. What this paper adds? This study classifies elderly persons having similar fall risk factors and identifies the characteristics of each class as ‘healthy falls risk class’, ‘complex falls risk class’, or ‘musculoskeletal disease falls risk class’. The implications of this paper: The ‘healthy falls risk class’ included over half of the present study cohort indicating that fall prevention programmes are needed, even for relatively healthy older adults. Older women were more likely to be in the ‘musculoskeletal disease falls risk class’, possibly due to the higher prevalence rates of osteoarthritis, and lower back or sciatic pain among older women. For this class, early diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal diseases will be important for fall prevention.