Risk Factors for Falls in Older Adults with Memory Complaints
Author Information
Author(s): Delgado Isabella, Camacho Miguel Angello, Pugliese Isabella, Clavijo Hugo Juan Camilo, Moreno Mabel, Muñoz Ospina Beatriz, Orozco Jorge
Primary Institution: Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia
Hypothesis
What are the risk factors associated with falls in older adults with subjective memory complaints or mild cognitive impairment?
Conclusion
Female sex, older age, hypertension, and a history of stumbles are significant risk factors for falls in older adults.
Supporting Evidence
- Fallers were older (70.76 ± 7.31 years) and had more hypertension (29.63%).
- Fallers had lower verbal fluency scores (p = 0.043) and poorer performance on the Rey–Osterrieth figure copy (p = 0.047).
- Female sex was associated with a 3.55 times higher risk of falling (OR = 3.55, p = 0.006).
- Hypertension increased the risk of falling by 3.33 times (OR = 3.33, p = 0.005).
- A history of stumbles increased the risk of falling by 5.66 times (OR = 5.66, p = 0.002).
Takeaway
Older people who feel like they have memory problems are more likely to fall, especially if they are women or have high blood pressure.
Methodology
A case-control study was conducted with neuropsychological assessments and Timed Up and Go tests to analyze gait in adults over 50.
Potential Biases
Participants were selected from a neuropsychology service, which may not represent the broader population.
Limitations
The case-control design limits causal inference and the study may not generalize to all older adults.
Participant Demographics
Most participants were women (60.29%), older than 65 years, and had more than 12 years of education.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.006 for female sex, p = 0.006 for age, p = 0.005 for hypertension, p = 0.002 for stumbles
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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