Mental health, fall prevention behaviors, and home environments related to fall experiences among older adults from ethnic groups in rural Northern Thailand

Abstract

Accidental falls pose significant threats to older adults' health and safety. This study investigates the associations between mental health, fall prevention behaviors, home environments, and yearly falls among older adults of various ethnicities. Conducted in rural ethnic areas of two provinces in northern Thailand, this cross-sectional study utilized multi-stage sampling to survey 462 older adults aged 60 and above, including Mien, Hmong, Karens, and indigenous people. Participants self-reported their history of accidental falls and provided mental health (GHQ-28) data. Univariate logistic regression highlighted associations between falls and mental health problems (OR = 14.87, 95%CI = 7.51–29.43) and the score of fall prevention behaviors (OR = 0.37, 95%CI = 0.31–0.45). Home environment factors, including floor type, floor risk factors, and stair safety features, were significantly related to falls (p < .05). Multivariable analysis identified gender, financial status, underlying disease, vision impairment, mental health problems, and fall prevention behaviors as independent predictors of past-year falls among ethnic older adults (p < .05), explaining 84.7 % of the variation in log odds of falling. This study underscores the heightened fall risks among ethnic minority older adults with mental health issues while emphasizing the protective role of fall prevention behaviors.