title: Association between sleep disturbances and falls among the elderly: results from the German Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg-Age study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to examine the association between various sleep disturbances and falls among older individuals from the general population while considering the influence of age and dizziness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were derived from the population-based cross-sectional KORA (Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg)-Age study, whereby information was conducted in standardized telephone interviews with 4127 men and women aged ⩾65years in 2008 and 2009. Unstratified and stratified (by age and dizziness) multivariable logistic regression model analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The multivariable analysis showed a marginally significant association between trouble staying asleep and ⩾1 fall in the previous year (odds ratio [OR], 1.23 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01-1.50]). This association was more pronounced in participants older than the age of 75years (OR, 1.58 [95% CI, 1.16-2.16]) and in individuals without dizziness (OR, 1.35 [95% CI, 1.04-1.76]). There was no association between daytime sleepiness and falls in the fully-adjusted models, but the odds of falls in the previous year in individuals older than the age of 75years were significantly higher for individuals with difficulty falling asleep. Although sleep duration was not associated with falls in multivariable analyses when stratified by dizziness, sleep duration of 9h daily was significantly associated with higher odds of experiencing at least one fall in the previous year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggested that the positive relationship between a trend towards longer sleep duration, trouble falling and staying asleep, and falls is strongest in older individuals and in individuals who did not experience dizziness in the previous year.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany. Electronic address: Anna.Katharina.Helbig@gmx.de.
authors.forename: A Katharina
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Helbig
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Döring
authors.forename: Margit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heier
authors.forename: Rebecca T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Emeny
authors.forename: Anja-Kerstin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Christine S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Autenrieth
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Ladwig
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grill
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meisinger
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004244:Dizziness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012890:Sleep; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: Comorbidities; Elderly; Falls; Insomnia; Older adults; Sleep; Sleep disorders