Recurrent falls in the elderly

Abstract

Objective: to describe the characteristics and to identify the main factors associated with recurrent falls (2 or more during the last year) in elderly people attending a clinic for the treatment of dizziness, instability, vertigo and falls.

Materials and methods: descriptive, transversal, and correlational trial including 224 people older than 60 with vertigo, dizziness or falls, referred to an interdisciplinary integral care clinic in a university hospital in Manizales, specialized in geriatrics, between January 2001 and December 2006.

Results: 114 (50.8%) of all participants had had at least one fall, with 73 subjects (32.5%) with recurrent falling. Recurrent fallers had more harmful falls (41% vs. 19%, p<0.05) with more disability in Activities of Daily Living (Basic ADL), instrumental ADL and more restriction in social activities as a consequence. Logistic regression analysis identified the following predictors for recurrent falling: difficulties to stand from a chair (2 or more seconds), bad self-perceived health, presence of urinary incontinence, and fear of falling. These factors predict 75% of recurrent falls.

Conclusions: intrinsic factors for recurrent falling related with mobility, bad health and functional limitation are predictors in the elderly. Recurrent fallers have more adverse consequences, with more severe injuries