Investigating Risk Factors for Falls among Community-Dwelling Older Adults According to WHO's Risk Factor Model for Falls

ObjectivesThe World Health Organization developed the Risk Factor Model for Falls to describe fall risks in a comprehensive manner. However, there was a lack of study adopting such framework in quantifying falls risk from different factors in a single model. Therefore, this study examined the risk factors from four domains in the Risk Factor Model for Falls among older adults.DesignSecondary data analysis of 10-year assessment records of the Minimum Data Set-Home Care instrument.SettingHong Kong.Participants89,100 community-dwelling adults aged 65 and over who first applied for publicly funded long-term care services from 2005 to 2014.MeasurementsThe Minimum Data Set-Home Care instrument was used to ascertain older adults' care needs and match them with appropriate services. Additionally, meteorological records from the same period were extracted from the Hong Kong Observatory. The logistic regression model was used to examine risk factors and their associations with falls.ResultsIn total 70 factors were included in the analysis, of which 37 were significantly associated with falls. Behavioral risk factors generally had greater odds ratios of falling, as compared with biological, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. Out of all significant factors, functional status, alcohol drinking, and locomotion outdoors had the largest odds ratios of falling.ConclusionBehavioral risk factors for falls are of remarkable influence yet are modifiable among older adults. Hence, falls prevention programs may need to prioritize addressing these factors.

Automated summary

This study analyzed 10 years of data and found that behavioral risk factors have a significant impact on falls among older adults. It also found that functional status, alcohol drinking, and locomotion outdoors have the largest associations with falls risk.