Falls among the non-institutionalized elderly in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil: prevalence and associated factors

Abstract

Objective:  To identify the prevalence of falls and associated factors in non-institutionalized elderly persons.

Methods:   A cross-sectional study featuring a population-based sample of non-institutionalized elderly persons in a city in the north of Minas Gerais was performed. Interviews were conducted in households by trained staff using validated instruments. We investigated the associations between falls and demographic, socioeconomic and health-related factors. After bivariate analysis, the variables associated with falls to a level of 20% were analyzed together using logistic regression, assuming at this stage a significance level of 5%.

Results:  The studied population was predominantly female, married and with a low educational level. The prevalence of falls was 28.4%. The factors that were associated with falls were: female gender (OR=1.67; 95% CI:1.13 to 2.47); negative self-evaluation of health (OR=1.49; 95% CI: 1.02 to 2.20); impaired functional mobility (Timed Up and Go test >20 seconds) (OR=1.66; 95CI: 1.02-2.74); the occurrence of hospitalization in the previous 12 months (OR=1.82; 95% CI: 1.17 to 2.84); and frailty measured by the Edmonton Frail Scale (OR=1.73; 95% CI: 1.14 to 2.64).

Conclusions:   The prevalence of falls was high for the population studied and was related to the individual health conditions of the elderly.

Keywords: Aged; Accidental falls; Risk factors

Resumo

Objetivo:  Estimar a prevalência de quedas e os fatores associados em idosos não institucionalizados.

Métodos:   Estudo transversal com amostra de base populacional de idosos não institucionalizados em cidade polo do norte de Minas Gerais. Foram conduzidas entrevistas nos domicílios por equipe especialmente treinada utilizando instrumentos validados. Investigou-se a associação entre a ocorrência de quedas e variáveis demográficas, socioeconômicas e relacionadas à saúde. Após análise bivariada, as variáveis associadas até o nível de 20% foram analisadas conjuntamente por meio de regressão logística, assumindo-se nessa fase o nível de significância de 5%.

Resultados:  A população avaliada era predominantemente feminina, casada e com baixa escolaridade. A prevalência de quedas foi de 28,4%. Os fatores que se mostraram associados à ocorrência de quedas foram: sexo feminino (OR=1,67; IC95%:1,13-2,47); a autopercepção negativa da saúde (OR=1,49; IC95%:1,02-2,20); comprometimento da mobilidade funcional (teste Timed Up and Go > 20 segundos) (OR=1,66; IC95%:1,02- 2,74); o registro de internação nos 12 meses precedentes (OR=1,82; IC95%:1,17-2,84); e fragilidade aferida pela Edmonton Frail Scale (OR=1,73; IC95%:1,14-2,64).

Conclusões:   A prevalência de quedas mostrou-se elevada para a população estudada e relacionada especialmente às condições de saúde dos idosos.

Palavras-chave: Idoso; Acidentes por quedas; Fatores de risco

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, the Brazilian elderly population has increased nearly twice as quickly as the general population, and is the fastest growing population segment in the country. Official records reveal that there are around 20 million people aged over 60 in Brazil at the moment, representing at least 10% of the country's population.¹ This accelerated population aging has resulted in new needs and care provisions.²

One aspect that stands out in the aging process is that related to physical disabilities and the degree of dependence of the elderly. Although functional disability is not inherent in the aging process,³ as individuals age, the chance of suffering injuries caused by accidents increases.⁴ Studies show that such injuries are among the leading causes of death among older people and falls account for up to two thirds of accidents involving the elderly, representing one of the main predictors of morbidity and mortality.^5-8

Falls in elderly people may indicate the beginning of frailty or acute disease. Besides the previously mentioned risk of death, falls result in constant injuries and fractures, compromise activities of daily living, increase rates of institutionalization, generate a decline in general health and increase fear of falling among the elderly, which, in turn, increases the risk of subsequent falls.⁹ Falls produce deleterious consequences not only for the elderly but also increase the cost of hospitalization and other health services, and as such represent a major public health problem.¹⁰

Adequate knowledge about the occurrence of falls in the elderly and devoting the necessary attention to the problem can guide more appropriate and effective preventive measures in health facilities. Some Brazilian studies have revealed that demographic variables may be associated with the problem, such as gender,^11-13 age,^10-14 the lack of a partner¹⁵ and income,¹⁴ as well as health-related variables such as the presence of comorbidities,^16-18 polypharmacy^15,19 and self-perception of health.^14-16

However, there are still variables that have been little explored in Brazilian literature, such as frailty²⁰ and other comorbidities. There are also no studies on the subject for the northern region of Minas Gerais. This region is characterized as a transition area between the southeast and the northeast of the country, with social indicators that demonstrate major socio-economic needs. Local studies may be representative for other regions of the country. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of the occurrence of falls and associated factors among the elderly, investigating as yet unexplored variables in a population-based sample of non-institutionalized elderly persons in a regional hub city in the north of Minas Gerais.

METHODS

A cross-sectional and analytical study of non-institutionalized elderly living in the city of Montes Claros, northern Minas Gerais, was conducted. The city has a population of approximately 400,000 inhabitants and is the main regional urban hub.

Sampling was probabilistic by cluster and performed in two stages. In the first stage, the census tract was used as the sampling unit, with 42 of the 362 urban census tracts in the city randomly selected. In the second stage, the number of households was defined, according to the population density of individuals aged 60 or over. At this stage, more households were allocated in the sectors with the highest number of elderly persons, in order to produce a more representative sample.

The sample calculation considered a total population of 30,790 elderly persons (according to IBGE data), a margin of error of 5%, a confidence level of 95% and a prevalence of 28.5%, as this is the median observed in a systematic review study.¹⁰ As cluster sampling was employed, the identified number was multiplied by a correction factor (deff) of two and 10% was added for possible losses. Thus, the minimum number of persons in the sample size calculation of the study was 682.

Elderly persons who were considered by their caregivers/family members to be unable to answer the questions or those who refused to participate in the study were excluded. Elderly persons who were unable to participate in at least three visits on different days and times, even with prior appointments, were considered losses.

Data collection was carried out in the homes of the elderly persons between May and July 2013. Interviewers, who were graduates in nursing, were trained and a pilot study was developed before the collection of data for analysis. The census tracts were visited clockwise from a predetermined point. The data collection instrument was based on similar population-based studies. The pilot study data, from a specially drawn census tract, was not included in the final analysis.

The independent variables studied were: gender (male vs. female), age (younger than 80 years x 80 years or older), self-reported skin color, marital status (married or civil union x without partner), family income (greater than one minimum salary x equal to or lower than one minimum salary), self-perceived health (positive x negative), frailty (defined by the Edmonton Frail Scale, which evaluates nine domains with a score from zero to 17 and defines frailty as a score greater than six),²¹ fear of falling (no x yes), presence of chronic comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, arthritis/arthrosis/rheumatism, heart disease, all self-reported - no x yes), polypharmacy (defined as the continuous use of five or more drugs - no x yes), hospitalization in the last year (no x yes), depressive symptoms (defined by the reduced version of the Yesevage Geriatric Depression Scale - GDS 15, wherein a score equal to or greater than six identifies depressive symptoms),²² functional mobility through the Timed Up and Go test (where a time equal to or greater than 20 seconds is suggestive of more difficult mobility for the elderly)²³ and smoking (no x yes). All the variables were dichotomized for data analysis.

The prevalence of falls in the previous 12 months was taken as the outcome variable. Initially, bivariate associations were established between the record of falls and the variables using the chi-squared test. In a second step, variables that were associated to a level of 20% (p<0.20) were jointly evaluated by logistic regression. At this stage, the odds ratio was calculated (OR) with respective confidence intervals of 95%, to evaluate the magnitude of associations, assuming a significance level of 5% (p<0.05). Analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 17.0 (SPSS for Windows, Chicago, USA) program.

All the participants were fully informed about the research and gave their consent by signing a Free and Informed Consent Form or by a digital fingerprint record, when unable to sign. The research project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros (Montes Claros State University) (Process nº 173397).

RESULTS

The study included 683 predominantly female elderly persons, aged between 60 and 98 years, with a mean of 70.9 years (SD±8.08). Most described their skin color as brown (57.1%). There was a predominance of married elderly persons (48.6%). Among the respondents, most reported having up to four years of study, and 26.1% had no schooling. These and other features of the group are presented in Table 1.

Table 1
Sociodemographic characteristics of elderly persons in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, 2013.

• * Minimum wage at time of study (2013) = R$ 678.00

In relation to health and healthcare, described in Table 2, the majority of respondents said the public system was the most used type of service (68.8%). Health was perceived as good or very good was cited by 291 people (42.6%). About a quarter of respondents (23.6%) reported needing to use five or more drugs of continuously. During the approach, 243 elderly persons (35.6%) were classified with some degree of frailty by the Edmonton Scale and 200 (29.3%) had scores suggestive of depression symptoms according to the Geriatric Depression Scale.

Table 2
Characteristics related to health care and health conditions among elderly persons in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, 2013.

• * Self-reported hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, arthritis/arthrosis/rheumatism, heart disease were evaluated.

For this sample, the prevalence of falls in the previous 12 months prior to the survey was 28.3%, with most individuals suffering a single fall in this period. The main reported cause was slipping/tripping and most fallers reported needing help to get up (Table 3).

Table 3
Characteristics linked to falls and postural instability of elderly persons in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, 2013*.

Variables	n	%
Number of falls in previous 12 months
One	85	44.0
Two to four	81	42.0
Five or more	27	14.0
Cause of falls
Tripped/slipped	147	76.2
Loss of consciousness	22	11.4
No apparent reason	24	12.4
Help required in getting up after fall
Yes	101	52.3
No	92	47.7
Support needed when walking
Walks alone	167	86.5
Use of aids (canes, crutches, wheelchairs)	26	13.5
Fear of falls
Yes	157	81.3
No	36	18.7

• * Refers only to number of elderly persons who reported falling in last 12 months (n=194)

Table 4 presents the results of the bivariate analysis between falls and the main variables. For space limitations, not all the associations investigated are shown.

Table 4
Bivariate analysis for variables associated with falls in previous 12 months among elderly persons in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, 2013.

• * The categories regular/poor/very poor were considered as a negative self-perception of health. ** Incomplete information was excluded (patients that did not know about disease)

Table 5 shows the variables in the final model, after multivariate analysis. Female gender, a negative self-perception of health, functional mobility impairment (Timed Up and Go test ≥20 seconds), record of hospitalization in the previous 12 months and frailty according to the Edmonton Frail Scale were associated with the occurrence of falls in the previous 12 months.

Table 5
Variables associated with the occurrence of falls among elderly persons in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, 2013.

Independent Variables	OR (CI95%)	P
Gender		0.011
Male	1
Female	1.67 (1.13; 2.47)
Self-perception of health		0.040
Positive (Very good/Good)	1
Negative (Regular/Poor/Very Poor)	1.49 (1.02; 2.20)
Frailty scale		0.011
Not frail	1
Frail/vulnerable	1.73 (1.14; 2.64)
Timed Up and Go Test		0.046
< 20 seconds	1
≥ 20 seconds	1.66 (1.02; 2.74)
Hospitalization in previous year		0.008
No	1
Yes	1.82 (1.17; 2.84)

DISCUSSION

The prevalence of falls in the previous 12 months reported by the elderly persons in the present study was very close to that revealed by a Brazilian study which sampled 100 municipalities in 23 states.¹¹ Other Brazilian studies have reported a higher prevalence of falls among the elderly, although these dealt with institutionalized populations.^13,14 In a review of the topic, the authors observed studies where the prevalence ranged from 15.9% to 56.3%, although it should be noted that this broad range included samples limited to the institutionalized population and larger studies with a population-based analysis.¹⁰

Among the sociodemographic variables, only the female gender was associated with falls. This result has been observed by other authors.^11-13,16,18 There are no specific explanations for this finding, but other authors have highlighted characteristics specific to women such as reduced muscle strength and muscle mass and a higher prevalence of degenerative chronic diseases. ^11,24 It is worth noting that one study found that the female gender is also associated with recurrent falls.¹⁷

As for the variable of hospitalization in the year preceding the survey, which was also present in the final model, the risk of falls was greater among elderly persons who had been hospitalized at least once. It was not possible in the present study to verify whether these hospitalizations were directly related to falls or not. However, it can be inferred that this apparent association may be either because a fall is a cause for hospitalization, or as a serious indicator of morbidity and frailty. In this case, immobility, the medications used or the underlying disease, when present, could predispose the individual to falls. Although the association between falls and hospitalizations is common,^24,25 the association between records of hospitalization in the previous year and the occurrence of falls was observed in one Brazilian study, which addressed the occurrence of falls in institutionalized elderly persons.⁵ This finding should be further investigated in future research.

A negative perception of health (classified here as "regular", "poor" or "very poor") was also revealed to be associated with a greater chance of falls. The same association was found in other studies.^14-16 It is possible that the indicator is closely related to difficulties with balance.¹⁴ Self-rated health is considered an important health indicator, and is widely used in research and health surveys due to its easy applicability and low cost, compared to other more complex methods. It is a subjective health measure, but reflects the presence of diseases and their impact on the quality of life of individuals.²⁶ In Brazil, the development of further research in this area is desirable, according to a recent review on the subject.²⁷

The impairment of functional mobility as measured by the Timed Up and Go test was also associated with the occurrence of falls in the present study. This result has also been recorded in other studies.^14,28 The test is simple to perform and can quickly identify disorders in balance and mobility. It is therefore an essential aspect of geriatric evaluation.²³ It is imperative, therefore, that this test is routinely implemented in assessments of older people, in order to identify situations of risk and anticipate specific advice and care.

The greater incidence of falls in elder persons with some degree of frailty has been little investigated in Brazilian literature. Only one study conducted in São Paulo recorded a positive association between the variables, with the authors highlighting the possibility of a two-way relationship - in other words, that falls can make elderly persons frail and frailty can cause elderly persons to fall.²⁰ Literature from outside Brazil shows this association more frequently, although there is no standardization of studies on how to assess frailty.^29,30 In the present study, analysis of the studied population by the Edmonton Frail Scale confirmed the association between falls and frailty. This scale is a culturally-adapted instrument validated for the Portuguese language which evaluates nine domains (cognition, health, functional independence, social support, medication, nutrition, mood, urinary continence and functional performance), and is considered a robust instrument due to its multidimensional character.^21,31

Other variables identified in literature as associated with the occurrence of falls in the elderly were not identified in this study. Some studies investigated morbidities, for example, which revealed an association in bivariate analysis but did not remain in the final model. An association with osteoporosis, arthritis/arthrosis/rheumatism and falls was identified in another study.¹⁷ It is natural to assume that such conditions lead to uncomfortable situations, with increased sensitivity and stiffness, among other symptoms, contributing to decreased physical ability, affecting mobility and leading to falls. However, these authors did not evaluate functional mobility or frailty, aspects which may include the aforementioned morbidities, in joint multivariate analysis.

The identification of fear of falling as a variable associated with the occurrence of falls in some studies^9,32 was also not maintained in the final model of the present study. It should be noted, however, that such studies involved a small sample, a fact that may explain the difference observed. Still, we must emphasize that fear of falling is a common profile among the elderly and can make older people feel less confident in performing their daily activities, increasing immobility and postural instability.³³

The present study did not find a relationship between the presence of depressive symptoms/depression and the occurrence of falls, unlike other Brazilian^13,17 and non-Brazilian^34,35 studies. This is an important relationship and deserves greater attention from researchers and practitioners. There is not always enough information in studies about the prior exclusion of elderly patients using antidepressant medication, an aspect that can affect comparisons between studies.

This study has some significant limitations, such as the fact that the data was obtained from the responses of respondents. Moreover, the consequences of the falls were not included, which could further contribute to defining the impact on health of the elderly in the region, justifying more emphatically the need for intervention and more effective prevention measures. Environmental aspects related to falls, such as the characteristics of the site of the fall or the circumstances associated with the event, were not investigated. Also, although there were few losses and refusals relating to participation, the fact that some elderly persons were not at home restricts the more general interpretation of the data. However, it should be emphasized that the study featured a large sample, allowing knowledge to be obtained of a health issue for the elderly that had not been studied in the region.

CONCLUSION

The study found that falls are a common event among elderly persons living in the community in the north of Minas Gerais. Knowledge of associated variables can contribute to the implementation of more effective preventive measures, as such variables are at least partly subject to intervention. Changes in these factors may decrease the risk of falling and its consequences. To achieve this, comprehensive and multidisciplinary care of the elderly is required.

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Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  Jul-Aug 2016

History

• Received
  09 June 2015
• Reviewed
  19 May 2016
• Accepted
  06 June 2016