title: Health and lifestyle risk factors for falls in a large population-based sample of older people in Australia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fall-related injuries among older people is a significant public health issue.
  
  
  METHODS
  To identify medical, general health and lifestyle factors associated with falls and multiple falls in older persons, a representative sample of people aged 65+ years living in the community in New South Wales (NSW) Australia were surveyed regarding their falls experience, lifestyle and general health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One-quarter of respondents indicated they had fallen in the past 12 months. People who fell were more likely to be aged 85+ years, have cataracts, musculoskeletal system and connective tissue disorders, major diseases of the circulatory, respiratory and nervous systems, use four or more medications, use a mobility aid and be overweight than non-fallers. Individuals aged 85+ years and those who experienced circulatory diseases, used four or more medications and used mobility aids were more likely to experience multiple falls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This representative population-based survey reinforces the multi-factorial nature of falls and the complex interaction of risk factors that increase the likelihood of individuals having a fall or multiple falls. Agencies focused on community-based fall prevention strategies should adopt a systematic, integrated approach to reduce the burden of fall injury at the population-level and should have mechanisms in place at the population-level to monitor the success of fall reduction strategies.
authors.affiliation: Falls and Injury Prevention Group, Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Australia. r.mitchell@unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Wendy L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milat
authors.forename: Amy Z Q
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lord
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003625:Data Collection; D004358:Drug Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D050177:Overweight; D012307:Risk Factors