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Risk factors for falls in people with and without a diagnose of dementia living in residential care facilities: a prospective study.

Abstract
People with dementia are at increased risk of falling. The purpose of this study was to identify predisposing risk factors for falls in older people with and without a diagnose of dementia living in residential care facilities, and to compare the results. Eighty-three residents without dementia (mean age+/-S.D.; 83.5+/-7.1 years) and 103 with dementia (83.6+/-6.3 years) in Umeå, Sweden, participated. The baseline assessment included probable risk factors like walking ability, diagnoses and treatment with drugs. The follow-up period was 6 months. In people with dementia, the fall rate was higher (crude incidence rate ratio 2.55, 95% CI 1.60-4.08) and a larger proportion experienced falls (62% versus 41%). In the group without dementia 54.8% of the variation in falls was explained by a model including orthostatism, "women walking with aid", and treatment with Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. In the group with dementia 25.5% of the variation in falls was explained by a model including "man walking with aid". Our results show that with the same set of common risk factors for falls a considerably lower proportion of the variation in falls can be explained in the group of people with dementia.
AuthorsStaffan Eriksson, Yngve Gustafson, Lillemor Lundin-Olsson
JournalArchives of gerontology and geriatrics (Arch Gerontol Geriatr) 2008 May-Jun Vol. 46 Issue 3 Pg. 293-306 ISSN: 0167-4943 [Print] Netherlands
PMID17602762 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
Topics
  • Accidental Falls (statistics & numerical data)
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Dementia (complications, drug therapy, psychology)
  • Female
  • Frail Elderly (psychology)
  • Gait (drug effects)
  • Geriatric Assessment (statistics & numerical data)
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Postural Balance
  • Prospective Studies
  • Residential Facilities (statistics & numerical data)
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Sweden (epidemiology)

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