Falls in rural elders: an empirical study of risk factors.
BACKGROUND
Our objective was to analyze and determine several risk factors of falls in the rural elderly population. Our study examined several variables believed to be positively correlated with the likelihood of an elderly person sustaining a fall.


METHODS
Analysis was performed on a prospective study of 308 community-dwelling rural elders during a span of 6 years. Factors such as prescription medication, eyesight, age, sex, recent hospitalizations, and personal health ratings were analyzed through a series of advanced empirical techniques.


RESULTS
Of the five significant variables found in our analysis, four were different types of prescription drugs. The biometric results suggest the probability of falling increases by as much as 4% for each year of age. Prescription painkillers increase the probability of falling by 20% to 85%. Arthritis medication decreases the probability of falling by 20% to 60%.


CONCLUSIONS
Although our results are necessary to the body of falls research, further study is required for precise determination of those medications found to be statistically significant in our analysis.
Richardson
Donald R
DR
Department of Family and Community Health, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755-2300, USA.
Hicks
Michael J
MJ
Walker
Robert B
RB
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001699:Biometry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D014903:West Virginia / Q000453:epidemiology