Factors associated with recurrent falls in a cohort of older adults.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the factors associated with recurrent falls in community-dwelling older adults from Cuiabá.


METHODS
This is an epidemiological, prospective, concurrent cohort study with a two-year follow-up. In-home surveys were conducted in 2012 and 2013. The data were treated by the software Epi Info and SPSS. Bivariate analysis investigated associations between risk factors and recurrent falls by calculating the relative risk (RR) of the cumulative incidences with a confidence interval of 95% (95%CI). Multiple analysis with Poisson regression included all variables with p < 0.20 in the crude analyses. The significance level of 5% (p < 0.05) was adopted as significant association for remaining in the final model.


RESULTS
Most older adults (77.6%) had recurrent falls. The variables significantly associated with recurrent falls were older adult's income of up to two minimum salaries (RR = 1.62; 95%CI 1.04-1.77), absence of arthritis or arthrosis (RR = 1.32; 95%CI 1.10-1.48), having regular to very bad self-perceived health (RR = 1.44; 95%CI 1.12-2.04), and having visual impairment (RR = 1.23; 95%CI 1.01 -1.69).


CONCLUSIONS
Falls in older adults are associated with low education levels, regular to very bad self-perceived health, visual impairment, and recurrent falls.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Estadual de Maringá. Av. Colombo, Zona 07. 87020-900 Maringá PR Brasil.débora.drom@gmail.com.
Débora Regina de Oliveira Moura
DR
Abreu
Programa de Pós- Graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso. Cuiabá MT Brasil.
Rosemeiry Capriata de Souza
RC
Azevedo
Programa de Pós- Graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso. Cuiabá MT Brasil.
Ageo Mario Candido da
AM
Silva
Programa de Pós- Graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso. Cuiabá MT Brasil.
Annelita Almeida Oliveira
AA
Reiners
Programa de Pós- Graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso. Cuiabá MT Brasil.
Hellen Cristina Almeida
HC
Abreu
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*