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The Nature of Falling Among Community Dwelling Seniors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Elaine M. Gallagher ,
Mike Hunter  and
Victoria J. Scott
Elaine M. Gallagher
Affiliation:
University of Victoria*
Mike Hunter
Affiliation:
University of Victoria*
Victoria J. Scott
Affiliation:
University of Victoria*
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Abstract

This paper analyses data pertaining to falls from a 1995 random survey of 1,285 seniors living in the Capital Regional District of British Columbia. In the preceding six months, 211 (16.5%) people reported falling at least once. The overall rate for women was 18.6 per hundred compared with 13.3 for men. The study also examined relationships between falling and an array of demographic, health, psychological and psychosocial variables. The likelihood of falling increased directly with age and chronic illness, as well as indirectly with age, SES, and gender via chronic illness (i.e. older, poorer women tend to have more chronic illness which then leads to a higher incidence of falling). In turn, falling was directly related to increased dependence, and through it indirectly related to health satisfaction, mental health and a measure of life satisfaction.

Résumé

Ce document analyse des données sur les chutes provenant d'un sondage aléatoire auprès de 1 285 aînés du district régional de la capitale de la Colombie-Britannique. Au cours des six mois précédents, 211 personnes interrogées, soit 16,5 pour cent, avaient chuté au moins une fois. Le taux de chute était de 18,6 pour cent chez les femmes alors qu'il était de 13,3 pour cent chez les hommes. Le sondage examinait également la relation entre les chutes et certaines variables démographiques, psychosociales, psychologiques et des variables de santé. Les possibilités de chute augmentent directement avec l'âge et la maladie chronique et indirectement avec l'âge, le statut socio-économique, le sexe et la maladie chronique. En d'autres termes, les femmes plus pauvres et plus âgées ont tendance à souffrir de maladies chroniques, ce qui entraîne une augmentation de l'incidence des chutes. De plus, les chutes sont directement reliées à une augmentation de la dépendance et de là, indirectement reliées à la satisfaction de l'état de santé, à la santé mentale et à une mesure de la satisfaction de la vie.

Keywords

FallsSeniorsAntecedentsConsequences.Chutesainé(e)santecedentsconséquences.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 18 , Issue 3 , Automne/Fall 1999 , pp. 348 - 362
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1999

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