Prevalence and factors associated with falls in the elderly

Abstract

This research aimed to determine the prevalence of falls in the last 12 months among the elderly; compare sociodemographic, clinical, and functional health variables between the elderly victims and non-victims of falls and verify the factors associated with falls in the elderly. This is a domestic survey conducted with 729 elderly people living in the urban area of the city of Uberaba-MG. The prevalence of falls was 28.3%. Most of the elderly fall victims were female; aged 80 years or older; presence of two or more conditions and used five or more medications. The falls were associated with females; aged 80 years or older and presence of two or more conditions. The study reinforces the need for investment in health promotion and prevention of morbidities, considering that, among the predictors of falls, health professionals can only intervene in the presence of comorbidities.