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Environmental and physical factors predisposing middle‐aged and older Japanese adults to falls and fall‐related fractures in the home
Author(s) -
Tanaka Tomoki,
Matsumoto Hiroshige,
Son BoKyung,
Imaeda Shujirou,
Uchiyama Emiko,
Taniguchi Sakiko,
Nishino Akiko,
Miura Takahiro,
Tanaka Toshiaki,
Otsuki Toshio,
Nishide Kazuhiko,
Iijima Katsuya,
Okata Junichiro
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
geriatrics and gerontology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1447-0594
pISSN - 1444-1586
DOI - 10.1111/ggi.13494
Subject(s) - medicine , gerontology , fall prevention , incidence (geometry) , demography , injury prevention , cross sectional study , poison control , environmental health , physics , pathology , sociology , optics
Aim To identify environmental and physical factors that predispose middle‐aged and older Japanese adults to falls and fall‐related fractures in the home. Methods A cross‐sectional survey was carried out in 2014. Self‐administered questionnaires were distributed to 15 000 community‐dwelling adults in Japan. The overall crude response rate was 13%. Response data were analyzed from 1561 individuals aged ≥40 years using multiple imputation to analyze missing data. We evaluated falls without fractures and fall‐related fractures during the previous 3 years according to demographic, physical and environmental factors, including age, sex, long‐term care insurance certification, type of house and barrier‐free housing. Results Of the 1561 adults (mean age 68.1 ± 13.0 years), 28% experienced a fall in the home. Among the individuals who experienced a fall, 11% experienced fall‐related fractures. These individuals were more likely to be women (OR 2.4, 95.0% CI 1.1–5.1), have LTCI certification (OR 3.9, 95.0% CI 1.6–9.4) and be living in a barrier home (OR 4.0, 95.0% CI 1.6–9.8), after adjustment for covariates. Conclusions Environmental factors, such as living in a barrier home, are critical for fall‐related fractures, in addition to demographic and physical factors. A multidisciplinary approach that considers both physical and environmental factors is necessary for reducing the incidence of fall‐related fractures among middle‐aged and older Japanese adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1372–1377 .