Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Turk Geriatri Dergisi, cilt.4, sa.4, ss.152-158, 2001 (SCI-Expanded)
Tin this cross-sectional study the fail frequency and risk factors in elderly people were investigated. Health problems that might be a risk factor for fail and presence of a fail history in the last 6 months were asked to 1078 subjects who were older than 50 years old, living in Ankara-Gölbaşi district. Dynamic balance was assessed with "get-up and go" test in all subjects. The study group was divided into group-I (aged between 50-64 years) and group-II (65 years and older) and two subgroups were compared with each other. Mean age was 55.41 ± 4.61 years for group-I (n=673) and 70.89 ± 5.41 years for group-II (n=405). The fail frequencies/prevalence for group-I and II were 2.5% and 4.9%, respectively (c2- 4.44, p∼0.035). All the inquired risk factors were more frequent in group-II. When group-II was analysed alone, fail frequency was higher in females (c2=10.38, p=0.001). Hypertension, vertigo, give-out in knees, decrease in physical activity level, balance and gait problems were also more frequent in group-II. Gender was determined as a risk factor for falls in logistic regression analysis (odds ratio: 4.07, 95% confidence interval: 1.1-15.0). Mean dynamic balance score was 1.25 ± 0.65 for group-I and 1.7 ± 1.07 for group-II (p<0.001). In group-II mean dynamic balance score was found higher in the fallers than the non-fallers (2.15 ± 1.35 and 1.67 ± 1.05, respectively). In this cross-sectional study, we found that the fail frequency was higher in the subjects who were 65 years and older, and gender was the most important risk factor.