title: Determinants of falls in community-dwelling elderly: hierarchical analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the fall-related factors in community-dwelling elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  Epidemiologic cross-sectional population-based household study with hierarchical interrelationships among the potential risk factors. The sample was made up of noninstitutionalized individuals over age 60, who were resident of a city in Brazil's Northeast Region.
  
  
  METHODS
  The dependent variable was fall occurrence in the last 12 months; independent variables were sociodemographic, behavioral, health, and functional status factors. Multivariate hierarchical Poisson regression analysis was used based on a proposed theoretic model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred and sixteen (89.0%) elderly participated of the survey, average age 74.2 years; the majority was female, with limited literacy and had low-medium family income. The fall prevalence was of 25.8%; occurrence was related to depression symptoms (PR = 1.55) and balance limitation (PR = 1.56).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high fall prevalence among elderly necessitates the identification of fall-related factors for action planning prevention programs with this group.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Estudos em Epidemiologia do Envelhecimento, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia (UESB), Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thais Alves
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Raildo da Silva
authors.initials: Rda S
authors.lastname: Coqueiro
authors.forename: Marcos Henrique
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Cleber Souza
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: de Jesus
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: accidental falls; aged; health services for the aged