Risk factors for falling among community-dwelling veterans and their caregivers.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence and strength of association of risk factors for falling in Canadian veterans of World War II and Korea and their caregivers.


METHODS
Questionnaires were sent to addresses of 3,000 Canadian veterans (response rate(1/4)70%). Risk factors for falls and the frequency of falls and injurious falls in the past 12 months were collected.


RESULTS
Veterans had more risk factors than did caregivers, and more had fallen in the past year (39.8% vs. 29.7%). Risk factors in the logistic model for veterans included lower extremity disability (odds ratio 1.98, 95% confidence interval 1.5-2.6); lower extremity weakness (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.3-2.3); worse memory than peers (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.1-2.5); one or more visits to the family doctor in the past month (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.2-2.0); and worse memory than 5 years ago (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.0-1.8).


CONCLUSIONS
Veterans appear more frail and prone to falling than their caregivers.
Speechley
Mark
M
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, K201 Kresge Building, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada. speechly@uwo.ca
Belfry
Shannon
S
Borrie
Michael J
MJ
Jenkyn
Krista Bray
KB
Crilly
Richard
R
Gill
Dawn P
DP
McLean
Sarena
S
Stolee
Paul
P
Vandervoort
Anthony A
AA
Jones
Gareth R
GR
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000503:physiopathology; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004856:Postural Balance; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*