Neighborhood Factors and Falls in Older Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Ackerson Leland, Procter-Gray Elizabeth, Le Qun, Kane Kevin, Li Wenjun
Primary Institution: University of Massachusetts Lowell
Hypothesis
Neighborhood sociodemographic environmental factors may influence the risk of falling in older adults.
Conclusion
Neighborhood characteristics are more likely associated with outdoor falls than indoor falls.
Supporting Evidence
- The overall rates of any falls were 67.9 per 100 person-years.
- Indoor falls had a rate of 32.1 per 100 person-years.
- Outdoor falls had a rate of 35.6 per 100 person-years.
- In crude analyses, rates of any falls were significantly associated with 12 neighborhood characteristics.
Takeaway
The places where older people live can affect how often they fall, especially outside.
Methodology
Associations of Census tract-level sociodemographic and built environmental characteristics with fall rates were analyzed using negative binomial models.
Limitations
Only a few neighborhood factors remained significant after adjusting for health-related risk factors.
Participant Demographics
Community-dwelling adults aged 65 to 99, multi-racial cohort.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 63.9 – 72.2
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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