title: Older fallers attended to by an ambulance but not transported to hospital: a vulnerable population at high risk of future falls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This prospective cohort study describes older non-transported fallers seen by the Ambulance Service of New South Wales (ASNSW), quantifies the level of risk and identifies predictors of future falls and ambulance use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 262 people aged 70 years or older with a fall-related ASNSW attendance who were not transported to an emergency department. They completed a questionnaire about health, medical and physical factors previously associated with falling. Falls were monitored for six months after ambulance attendance with monthly fall calendars.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants had a high prevalence of chronic medical conditions, functional limitations and past falls. During follow-up, 145 participants (58%) experienced 488 falls. Significant predictors of falls during follow-up were three or more falls in the past year, being unable to walk more than 10 minutes without resting, and requiring assistance for personal-care activities of daily living (ADLs). Sixty-two participants (25%) required repeat, fall-related ambulance attendance during the study. Predictors of repeat ambulance use were: 3+ falls in past year, requiring assistance for personal-care ADLs and having disabling pain in past month.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older, non-transported fallers seen by the ASNSW are a vulnerable population with high rates of chronic health conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Onward referral for preventive interventions may reduce future falls and ambulance service calls.
authors.affiliation: The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. atiedemann@georgeinstitute.org.au
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tiedemann
authors.forename: A Stefanie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Mikolaizak
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sherrington
authors.forename: Kerrie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Segin
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lord
authors.forename: Jacqueline C T
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Close
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000552:Ambulances / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035862:Vulnerable Populations