Abstract
Falls and recurrent falls cause great health and social consequences in older people. However, these problems are poorly understood in Vietnam. A cross-sectional study was performed at seven hospitals in Thai Binh province, Vietnam, to investigate the individual and environmental factors associated with recurrent falls among elderly patients hospitalized due to fall injuries in Vietnam. A history of recurrent falls within the last 12 months, sociodemographic, health, and clinical characteristics, as well as environmental conditions, were obtained via self-reported interviews. Multivariate logistic and Poisson regression models were used to identify associated factors. Overall, the mean fall episodes in the last 12 months were 1.8 (Standard deviation—SD = 1.2) episodes, and the 12-month prevalence of recurrent falls was 40.5%. The individual risk factors included not receiving fall prevention guidelines, walking with devices, loss of sensation in hand or foot, and using pain relief medications. The environmental risk factors comprised having too-high stairs and not having dry, clean, and nonslippery bathrooms. This study highlights a significantly high 12-month prevalence of recurrent falls in older patients hospitalized after falls in Vietnam. Moreover, regular assessments of functional disabilities and hazardous environmental conditions, as well as the provision of prevention programs, have potential to prevent falls and recurrent falls.
Highlights
Falls greatly threaten the health outcomes of elderly people and have become one of the leading health issues in this population [1]
No difference was found in the prevalence of recurrent falls among gender, education, marital status, and caregiver groups (p > 0.05) (Table 1)
We explored some modifiable personal and environmental factors associated with recurrent falls, which could be used to suggest further programs to prevent the occurrence of falls in this population
Summary
Falls greatly threaten the health outcomes of elderly people and have become one of the leading health issues in this population [1]. Worldwide studies indicate that individual factors such as being female, advancing age, experiencing a high number of morbidities, mental problems, cognitive impairment, poor sleep quality, and polypharmacy are related to the increased risk of falls and recurrent falls [11,12,13,14]. Environmental factors such as poor housing conditions, inadequate lighting, or slippery floors were considered mediators in precipitating falls [15,16].
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