title: Incidence and associated factors for single and recurrent falls among the elderly in an urban community of Beijing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the incidence of falls and recurrent falls, and explore associated factors for single and recurrent falls among urban community-dwelling elderly in Beijing.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in 472 elderly in the Longtan community of Dongcheng district, Beijing in 2009. Data regarding the incidence of fall and recurrent falls in the previous year, as well as associated factors were collected from the elderly through face-to-face interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of falls and recurrent falls was 17.8% and 6.1%, respectively, and it increased with age (χ2for trend=21.06, 19.20, P=0.001, 0.002). Binary logistic stepwise regression analysis showed that age (OR=2.20), living alone (OR=4.67) and gait disturbance (OR=1.27) were risk factors, while housing with elevators (OR=0.35), appropriate width/height of stair steps (OR=0.78), sufficient lighting for stairway (OR=0.45) and regular exercise (OR=0.12) could lower the risk for single fall; factors such as low monthly family income (OR=1.39), poor vision (OR=1.83), low physical ability (OR=4.47), abnormal static balance (OR=2.48), and fear of falls(OR=2.23) were risk factors, while appropriate width/height of stair steps (OR=0.49) and easiness of access to daily supplies (OR=0.41) were protective factors for recurrent falls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of falls in community-dwelling elderly people in Beijing is common, and falls and their related injuries have been associated with both intrinsic and extrinsic factors.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institution of Geriatrics, Beijing Hospital Ministry of Health, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Bai Yu
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Yong Kang
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institution of Geriatrics, Beijing Hospital Ministry of Health, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Pu Lin
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Hunan Research Institute for Tuberculosis Control, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Chuan Fang
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical College, Nanjing 221002, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Zhao Hui
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Zhen Qiu
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002947:Cities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Falls; Incidence; Prevention; Related factors