Prevalence and External Factors of Home Falls among the Elderly in Qazvin

Background:

 Falling is the most common home accidents in elderly people. The fall-related accidents can reduce the quality of life and increase the disability and mortality rates among elderly people.
Objective The present study aimed to determine the role of home safety in home fall rate among community-dwelling older people.

Methods:

 A total of 300 older people aged ≥60 years from Qazvin, Iran participated in this descriptive cross sectional study. They were selected using a cluster sampling method. Data were collected using demographic form, a home fall checklist, and Home Falls and Accidents Screening Tool.  Then, the collected data was analyzed using logistic regression analysis.

Findings :

One-third of the participants reported home fall in the past year. The most of home falls occurred in the backyard (22%) at night (34%). The most reported fall–related injuries were bruise (30%) and bone fracture (28%). Half of participants who had home fall needed to be hospitalized and about one-third of them (33%) underwent a surgery. the risks of using toilet, bath and opening and closing the entrance door predicted the home fall in older people (P<0.05).

Conclusion:

 The incidence of home fall is rather high among older people and the home risk factors predicted 20-30% of home fall in the elderly. Therefore, the proper planning for home safety should be considered in order to reduce the prevalence of home fall among elderly people.