title: Recurrent falls and its risk factors among older men living in the veterans retirement communities: A cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of recurrent falls and their risk factors among older men living in the Veterans Homes in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study enrolled 871 residents and all participants received the comprehensive geriatric assessment, including Barthel Index, Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale-5 questions (GDS-5), Mini-Nutrition Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF), the status of urinary incontinence, stool incontinence, polypharmacy, past history of falls, multimorbidity, and medication history.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 871 subjects (mean age: 85.5±5.2years, all males) participated in this study, whereas 222(25.5%) of them had experienced falls in the past year, and 91 were recurrent fallers. Comparisons between non-fallers, single fallers and recurrent fallers disclosed that they were significantly different in the following characteristics: diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, coronary artery disease, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), Barthel Index, GDS-5, MNA-SF, polypharmacy, use of hypnotics, urinary incontinence, and stool incontinence (P for trend all <0.05). Multiple regression analysis identified that GDS-5 was significantly associated with single falls and recurrent falls (OR 1.256, 95% CI 1.094-1.441, P=0.001 for single fallers; OR 1.480, 95% CI 1.269-1.727, P<0.001 for recurrent fallers). Besides, urinary incontinence was the independently associated with recurrent fallers only (OR 2.369, 95% CI 1.449-3.817, P<0.001), but not single fallers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Urinary incontinence and depressive symptoms were independent associated factors for falls among older men living in the retirement communities. However, urinary incontinence was associated with recurrent falls, but not single falls. Intervention study is needed to reduce recurrent falls through management of urinary incontinence.
authors.affiliation: Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Aging and Health Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cheng-Hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.affiliation: Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Aging and Health Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Aging and Health Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ting-Ching
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Aging and Health Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Liang-Yu
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Aging and Health Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Li-Ning
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, National Taiwan University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fei-Yuan
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Hsiao
authors.affiliation: Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Aging and Health Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: lkchen2@vghtpe.gov.tw.
authors.forename: Liang-Kung
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D016852:Housing for the Elderly; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans
keywords: Depression; Fall; Long term care; Recurrent fall