ABSTRACT
Objective
to identify the factors associated with risk of falls among people with Parkinson’s disease registered at the Parkinson Santa Catarina Association.
Method
this is a cross-sectional exploratory descriptive study with a quantitative approach, carried out with 53 people registered at the Parkinson Santa Catarina Association, in the city of Florianópolis, Brazil, from June to September 2019. Sociodemographic questionnaire, Hoehn and Yahr scale, Mini Mental State Examination and Simple Screening Test for Risk of Falls in the Elderly were applied. The data were tabulated and analyzed using the SEstatNet® Statistics Teaching-Learning Online System.
Results
risk factors were identified, such as sex, increased age, reduced muscle strength, postural instability and decreased gait speed. Regarding the stages of the disease, it was found that in all of them there was a worsening of gait speed and the fear of falling is constant, increasing with the worsening of the disease and diagnosis time.
Conclusion and implications for practice
by deepening the study of the topic, nurses are able to understand the motor impairments that lead to frailty and fall in people with Parkinson’s disease, developing strategies to prevent them.
Keywords:
Accidental Falls; Chronic Disease; Parkinson’s Disease; Nursing; Aging