Falls in institutionalized older adults: risks, consequences and antecedents

Associations between Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Timed Up and Go Test for Elderly Participants in Public Physical Activity Programs

Variables such as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist/height ratio (WHtR) are used to assess cardiovascular risks associated with abdominal obesity. The Timed Up and Go (TTUG) test assesses mobility and the risk of falls, especially in the elderly and individuals with physical limitations. The objective was to correlate anthropometric indicators of cardiovascular risk (BMI, WC, WHtR) with performance on the TTUG test in elderly people who practice physical activity.

METHODS

Observational, cross-sectional study, CAAE: 27116319.1.0000.8044. Active elderly participants in a public physical exercise program "Project 60 Up", promoted by the Municipal Secretariat for the Elderly of the City of Niterói, RJ, Brazil, were evaluated. Elderly people of both sexes, with independent locomotion and preserved cognitive status, were included and those with visual, hearing, severe mobility difficulties or neurological sequelae and imbalances were excluded. Anthropometric data were collected: BMI, WC, WHtR, and the TTUG test was performed.

RESULTS

In the sample composed of 55 elderly people of both sexes, with an average age of 68 years, the means of the variables were: body weight (67.8 ± 12.7 kg), height (157.2 ± 8.4 cm), TTUG (10.3 ± 2 s), WC (93.3 ± 10.9 cm), WHtR (0.59), and BMI (27.4 ± 4.4). The correlations were between TTUG and age (r = -0.24, p = 0.69), TTUG and BMI (r = 0.111, p = 0.426), and WC and WHtR (r = 0.885, p < 0.000). Weak correlations were observed between TTUG and BMI and WC and WHtR, indicating that factors other than BMI and abdominal fat accumulation may have a greater influence on performance on the TTUG test. In this specific context of elderly people participating in a physical activity program, the results found may have been shaped by the very nature of the interventions carried out in the program, with factors such as muscular strength, flexibility and balance preserved and acquired through the practice of regular physical exercise. Despite the benefits of physical activity, managing weight and abdominal fat remains challenging for elderly individuals with high anthropometric measurements.

CONCLUSIONS

Although many elderly people have anthropometric measurements above average levels, the results indicate that no negative influence on their performance on the TTUG was observed. However, the limitation of the sample size and the underrepresentation of elderly people ≥ 80 years and of men highlight the need for future studies with larger and more balanced samples to confirm these results.

Pattern of fall and its determinants among elderly patients attending the general outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital in northern Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

Introduction

falls in the elderly are a neglected health problem in many societies, particularly in the developing world. Many health and social service providers are unprepared to prevent and manage falls and related injuries as they lack sufficient knowledge to identify their predisposing factors. For this reason, this study aims to identify the pattern of falls and its determinants among the elderly in northern Nigeria.

Methods

a cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 elderly patients, selected by systematic random sampling. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Variables were summarised using percentages and measures of central tendency/dispersion. The chi-square test was used in assessing the significance of associations between categorical variables. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify determinants of falls.

Results

the prevalence of falls and fall injuries was 41.4% and 25.4% respectively. The commonest pattern of fall injuries was swellings and pain (31.1%). Tripping was the commonest 60 (49.2%) cause of fall. Age (p<0.026, AOR=4.424, CI=1.192-16.424), presence of dizziness (p<0.015, AOR=0.334, CI=0.138-0.810), use of shoes with uneven (P<0.021, AOR=0.337, CI=0.133-0.851)/slippery soles (p<0.038, AOR=0.392 CI=0.162-0.948), having slippery mats (P<0.001, AOR=0.086, CI=0.039-0.192), wires/cords exposed (p=0.005, AOR=0.306 CI=0.132-0.705) on the pathways were the determinants.

Conclusion

the high prevalence of falls and fall injuries signifies its importance in health care. This implies that physicians should be proactive in asking, assessing, and assisting the elderly to provide targeted interventions to potentially prevent falls.

Prognostic Value of New Sarcopenia Screening Tool in the Elderly-SARC-GLOBAL

Sarcopenia screening tools have a low capacity to predict adverse outcomes that are consequences of sarcopenia in the elderly population. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of a new sarcopenia screening tool SARC-GLOBAL to predict negative clinical outcomes in the elderly. A total of 395 individuals were evaluated in a 42-month period. The screening tools SARC-GLOBAL, SARC-F, and SARC-CalF and the diagnosis of sarcopenia according to European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older Persons (EWGSOP2) were performed at the beginning of the study. Logistic and Poisson regression models were applied to assess the predictive value of the tools for the odds and risks of negative clinical outcomes, respectively. The most common negative clinical outcome in the followed population was falls (12.9%), followed by infections (12.4%), hospitalizations (11.8%), fractures (4.3%), and deaths (2.7%). Both SARC-GLOBAL and SARC-F were similar in predicting the odds of falls and hospitalizations during the follow up period, however SARC-CalF only predicted the odds of hospitalizations at 42 months.

Timed Up and Go test score and factors associated with a moderate-to-high risk of future falls in patients scheduled for vascular surgeries-a cross-sectional study

Introduction

Peripheral artery and aorta diseases contribute to complex consequences in various areas, as well as increasing physical and mental discomfort resulting from the progressive limitation or loss of functional capacities, in particular in relation to walking, decreased endurance during physical exercise, a drop in effort tolerance, and pain suffered by patients. Limitations in functional capacities also increase the risk of falls. Most falls take place during the performance of simple activities. The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with moderate-to-high risk of future falls in patients scheduled for vascular surgeries.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included patients aged 33-87, scheduled for vascular surgeries. Based on the Timed Up and Go test, patients were categorized as having a moderate-to-high (≥ 10 s) or low risk of falls. Multiple logistic regression was carried out to assess the relationship between fall-risk levels and independent sociodemographic and clinical variables.

Results

Forty-eight percent of patients were categorized as having a moderate-to-high risk of future falls. Females (OR = 1.67; Cl95%: 1.07-2.60) and patients who suffered from hypertension (OR = 2.54; Cl95%: 1.19-5.40) were associated with a moderate-to-high risk of future falls. The Barthel Index correlated negatively (OR = 0.69; Cl95%: 0.59-0.80), while age correlated positively with fall-risk levels (OR = 1.07; Cl95%: 1.02-1.12).

Conclusion

Factors that may be associated with a moderate-to-high risk of future falls in patients scheduled for vascular surgeries include age, female gender, hypertension, and the Barthel Index.

Incidents in the context of pre-hospital care by ambulances: contributions to patient safety

OBJECTIVES

to analyze the occurrence of incidents in the context of mobile terrestrial pre-hospital care.

METHODS

a descriptive research was carried out through the observation of 239 treatments performed by 22 healthcare professionals at the Mobile Emergency Care Service, located in Baixada Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Fisher's exact test and chi-square test were used for data analysis.

RESULTS

the total time dedicated to patient care was 439.5 hours, during which 2386 security incidents were observed. The most notable ones were related to written communication (235), patient identification through bracelets (238), and safety in medication preparation (81).

CONCLUSIONS

the need to promote and implement initiatives aimed at patient safety is evident, with special focus on international safety goals within the scope of mobile pre-hospital care services.

Development and validation of the Iranian version of the protection motivation theory questionnaire for fall prevention in older people

Background/Aims

The protection motivation theory is a common framework illustrating the use of protective behaviours. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the protection motivation theory questionnaire for fall prevention in older people in Iran.

Methods

This study used a psychometric design. A literature review was initially performed and developed a 35-item questionnaire consisting of eight sub-constructs of the protection motivation theory. A panel of experts and a group of older people aged 60 years or above were invited to assess the content and face validity of the questionnaire. Thereafter, construct validity was evaluated by using confirmatory factor analysis. The reliability of the questionnaire was examined using test–retest reliability and internal consistency. Data analysis was performed using the partial least squares path modelling version three software.

Results

A total of 300 people living in retirement centres completed the questionnaire. In the expert panel review, all tasks received a content validity index above 0.90 and a content validity ratio above 0.80, representing good content validity. In total, 32 items remained in the final version of the questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed an acceptable eight-factor model fit of the protection motivation theory sub-constructs with factor loadings from 0.59 to 0.93. The discriminant validity was verified using the Fornell–Larcker criterion. The Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.68 to 0.90 and the test–retest reliability ranged from 0.78 to 0.90, displaying an acceptable result.

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that the protection motivation theory questionnaire had good validation and can be used to measure the psychological predictors of fall behaviour in older people. Further studies are needed to evaluate the validity in various settings.

Telefonemas mensais e calendários como registro para a taxa de quedas de idosos da comunidade inseridos em um ensaio clínico randomizado

RESUMO Os objetivos deste estudo de caráter longitudinal prospectivo foram analisar telefonemas mensais e calendários como registro da taxa de quedas de idosos da comunidade ao longo de 22 semanas e verificar os fatores relacionados à adesão ao calendário de quedas. Os participantes passaram por avaliações de anamnese, nível de atividade física, medidas neuropsicológicas e mobilidade. Receberam também um calendário de quedas que deveria ser preenchido, ao longo das 22 semanas, no(s) dia(s) em que o evento ocorresse. Ademais, os idosos foram contatados mensalmente por telefone para o questionamento da ocorrência de quedas naquele período. Para análise dos dados, foi adotado nível de significância de α=0,05, e para execução dos testes estatísticos foi utilizado o software SPSS 20.0. Os dois instrumentos foram comparados quanto à “sensibilidade” e à “especificidade”. Foram incluídos 52 idosos no estudo, com média de idade de 70,5 anos. A adesão ao método do calendário foi de 63,4% em comparação à estratégia dos telefonemas. Dos nove participantes que relataram quedas pelos telefonemas, três as notificaram no calendário, resultando em uma sensibilidade de 33%. Dos 43 idosos que não relataram quedas por telefonemas, 31 entregaram o calendário sem registro, o que resultou em uma especificidade do calendário de 72%. Anos de escolaridade, pontuação no Miniexame de Estado Mental e desempenho no exame cognitivo de Addenbrooke (versão revisada) influenciaram significativamente na adesão ao calendário de quedas. Concluiu-se que houve maior notificação de quedas pelo método do telefonema mensal em comparação ao do calendário em idosos da comunidade.

Monthly phone calls and calendars to record falls rate in community-dwelling older adults included in a randomized clinical trial

ABSTRACT This longitudinal study aimed to analyze monthly phone calls and calendars as a mean to record falls rate in community-dwelling older adults over 22 weeks, and to verify factors related to adherence to the falls calendar. Participants underwent an assessment composed by anamnesis, level of physical activity, neuropsychological measures, and mobility. They also received a schedule of falls that should be completed over 22 weeks, on the day(s) a fall occurred. Moreover, the volunteers received monthly phone calls to inquire about occurrence of falls over time. For data analysis, a α=0.05 significance level was adopted and the SPSS software (20.0) was used to perform statistical tests. The two tools were compared regarding “sensitivity” and “specificity.” In total, 52 older adults composed the final sample, with a mean age of 70.5 years old. The adherence to the calendar was 63.4% compared to phone calls. Of nine participants who reported falls by phone calls, three notified them in the calendar, resulting in a 33% sensitivity. Out of the 43 people who did not report falls by phone calls, 31 delivered the calendar without registration. Thus, the specificity of the calendar was 72%. Schooling level, Mini Mental State Exam score and the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (revised version) score significantly influenced adherence to the calendar. In conclusion, there was a greater registration of falls by the monthly phone call compared to the calendar tool in community-dwelling older adults.

Association between falls in older adults and prevention group

OBJECTIVES

to assess the effectiveness of guidelines on fall prevention in a group of older adults in Primary Health Care.

METHODS

a cross-sectional study, carried out with older adults selected by a simple random sample (274; N=1,234). Data covered sociodemographic and socioeconomic variables, marital status, health conditions, factors associated with falls and participation in the prevention group. Student's t test was used, and dichotomous variables were used by the chi-square test. The project met ethical requirements.

RESULTS

sample with female profile (61.7%), married, with low education, mean age of 71.69 years. The factors associated with falls identified were female sex, medicalization and participation in the prevention group. There was no protective association between participation in a fall prevention group in older adults and a decrease in the number of falls.

CONCLUSIONS

based on evidence, a personalized intervention during the nursing visit is suggested as a strategy to prevent falls.

Associação entre quedas em idosos e grupo de prevenção

RESUMO Objetivos: avaliar a efetividade das orientações sobre prevenção de quedas em um grupo de idosos na Atenção Básica à Saúde. Métodos: estudo transversal, realizado com idosos selecionados por amostra aleatória simples (274; N=1.234). Os dados abrangeram variáveis sociodemográficas, socioeconômicas, estado civil, condições de saúde, fatores associados a quedas e participação no grupo de prevenção. Utilizou-se a técnica estatística descritiva teste t de Student, e as variáveis dicotômicas, pelo Teste do Qui-Quadrado. O projeto atendeu às exigências éticas. Resultados: amostragem com perfil feminino (61,7%), casados, apresentando baixa escolaridade, idade média de 71,69 anos. Os fatores associados a quedas identificados foram sexo feminino, medicalização e participação no grupo de prevenção. Não houve associação protetora entre realização de grupo de prevenção de quedas em idosos e diminuição do número de quedas. Conclusões: baseado nas evidencias, sugere-se uma intervenção personalizada durante a visita de enfermagem como estratégia para prevenção das quedas.

Quality of life and falls in elderly people: a mixed methods study

OBJECTIVE

to assess elderly people's quality of life, understanding the social representations of falls.

METHODS

a convergent mixed methods research carried out at homes, with a sample of 134 elderly people. A structured questionnaire was used, covering sociodemographic variables and factors that indicated frailty and risk of falling. For quality of life assessment, Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 and Theory of Social Representations, Abric's structural approach were used, with data treated by dictionary of equivalent terms, processed in Evoc 2000, converging analytically according to Neuman.

RESULTS

quality of life impairment was identified in terms of physical, emotional and functional capacity. The elements of the possible central nucleus were fall, fear, and bruised-broken-bone.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

quality of life impairment can contribute to increase the number of falls, which has been shown to be an event present in elderly people's lives through evocations. Understanding elderly people's individual demands allows planning actions.

Risk of Fall among Older Adults and its Association with Cognitive Impairment in a Semi-Urban Community

Context:

Fall in older people is a major public health concern. Two-third of the death due to fall are preventable. Risk assessment in older adults therefore is the first step to identify the high-risk group to plan need-based intervention.

Aims:

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of risk of fall among older adults and its association with cognitive impairment and sociodemographic characteristics.

Settings and Design:

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the field practice areas of the department of community medicine in a teaching hospital in South Kerala, India.

Subjects and Methods:

A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Berg Balance Scale and Mini-Cog Test were used for measuring risk of fall and cognitive impairment.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used for the statistical analysis using SPSS.

Results:

Among the older adults, 45% were at risk of fall, 42.4% in males and 57.6% in females. The risk of fall was found to be significantly associated with cognitive impairment, (odds ratio = 3.89, confidence interval at 95% = 2.06–7.31, P < 0.001). Advanced age, female gender, and unemployed status were significantly associated with the risk of fall.

Conclusions:

The risk of fall prevalence was high and significantly related to cognitive impairment, advanced age, female gender, and occupational status, with more than half of those currently not working having a higher risk. The study would recommend regular follow-up of risk groups for prevention a good percentage of fall and thereby the related injuries.

Correlação entre independência funcional e risco de quedas em idosos de três instituições de longa permanência

RESUMO Objetivo Verificar a correlação entre a independência funcional e o risco de quedas em um grupo de idosos institucionalizados. Método Estudo transversal, observacional, quantitativo, realizado em três Instituições de Longa Permanência para Idosos no Município de Belém, de ambos os gêneros, avaliados por meio do Índice de Katz e Índice de Tinetti. Para análise utilizou-se o teste de Qui-quadrado de Pearson, adotando-se um nível de significância de p-valor < 0.05. E a correlação dos dados foi realizada pelo teste de correlação de Pearson, com significância de 5% (p<0,05). Resultados Participaram 48 idosos. A maioria foi classificada como funcionalmente independente (89,6%) e com baixo risco de quedas (58,3%). Houve correlação moderada entre a independência funcional e baixo riscos de quedas. Conclusão Quanto mais independentes são os idosos, menor é o risco de quedas. Portanto, é necessário fazer um planejamento de cuidados individualizados, considerando suas peculiaridades e limitações, de modo que o idoso possa preservar por mais tempo sua independência funcional.

Sarcopenia and its association with falls and fractures in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Sarcopenia is a potentially modifiable risk factor for falls and fractures in older adults, but the strength of the association between sarcopenia, falls, and fractures is unclear. This study aims to systematically assess the literature and perform a meta-analysis of the association between sarcopenia with falls and fractures among older adults. A literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, and CINAHL from inception to May 2018. Inclusion criteria were the following: published in English, mean/median age ≥ 65 years, sarcopenia diagnosis (based on definitions used by the original studies' authors), falls and/or fractures outcomes, and any study population. Pooled analyses were conducted of the associations of sarcopenia with falls and fractures, expressed in odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses were performed by study design, population, sex, sarcopenia definition, continent, and study quality. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistics. The search identified 2771 studies. Thirty-six studies (52 838 individuals, 48.8% females, and mean age of the study populations ranging from 65.0 to 86.7 years) were included in the systematic review. Four studies reported on both falls and fractures. Ten out of 22 studies reported a significantly higher risk of falls in sarcopenic compared with non-sarcopenic individuals; 11 out of 19 studies showed a significant positive association with fractures. Thirty-three studies (45 926 individuals) were included in the meta-analysis. Sarcopenic individuals had a significant higher risk of falls (cross-sectional studies: OR 1.60; 95% CI 1.37-1.86, P < 0.001, I²  = 34%; prospective studies: OR 1.89; 95% CI 1.33-2.68, P < 0.001, I²  = 37%) and fractures (cross-sectional studies: OR 1.84; 95% CI 1.30-2.62, P = 0.001, I²  = 91%; prospective studies: OR 1.71; 95% CI 1.44-2.03, P = 0.011, I²  = 0%) compared with non-sarcopenic individuals. This was independent of study design, population, sex, sarcopenia definition, continent, and study quality. The positive association between sarcopenia with falls and fractures in older adults strengthens the need to invest in sarcopenia prevention and interventions to evaluate its effect on falls and fractures.

Analysis of risk factors for falls among institutionalized elderly persons

Abstract Objectives: to identify the demographic and clinical profile, context of risk and the occurrence of falls among institutionalized elderly persons; analyze the association between the classification of risk of falling using the Brazilian version of the Morse Fall Scale and the occurrence of falls in such individuals. Method: A cohort study was performed in two long-stay institutions in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. The sample consisted of 193 elderly persons. Descriptive and inferential statistics (Chi-squared and Fisher tests) were used for analysis. Results: The occurrence of falls was associated with hearing impairment, hand grip strength, Katz Index score, degree of dependence according to Collegial Board Resolution 283/2005 and risk of falls according to the MFS-B. Conclusion: Falls have multifactorial causes, which makes it important to identify the agents that contribute to their occurrence, as it is known that institutionalization significantly increases the risk of falling. Multidisciplinary actions are important for reducing the risk of falls, together with the use of instruments that can predict such risk among institutionalized elderly people.

Falls of elderly people living in rural areas: prevalence and associated factors

ABSTRACT Objective: to identify the prevalence and factors associated with falls in the elderly population living in rural areas. Method: this is a cross-sectional study, carried out in 2014, with 820 older adults recorded in the Family Health Strategy (Estratégia Saúde da Família). The association between the reporting of falls in 12 months and their associated factors was verified by the Chi-square and Fischer’s exact tests and by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: the majority of the sample was female (56.1%), white (90.2%) and aged 60-69 years (54.9%). The prevalence of falls was 27.9%, and being female, hypertensive and diabetic was associated to falls. Conclusion: it is the responsibility of health professionals to have a closer look at the elderly who have these chronic diseases, especially within the scope of the Family Health Strategy, which works longitudinally with these patients, in addition to improving nursing care aimed at this population.