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What Is a Falls Risk Factor? Factors Associated with Falls per Time or per Step in Individuals with Glaucoma
Journal article   Open access

What Is a Falls Risk Factor? Factors Associated with Falls per Time or per Step in Individuals with Glaucoma

Pradeep Y. Ramulu, Aleksandra Mihailovic, Sheila K. West, David S. Friedman and Laura N. Gitlin
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), v 67(1)
01 Jan 2019
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.15609
PMID: 30365871
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.15609View
Accepted (AM)Open Access (License Unspecified),  Open

Abstract

Geriatrics & Gerontology Gerontology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Science & Technology
Objectives To determine whether visual field (VF) damage or other factors confer a similar risk of falling when falls are ascertained as a rate over time (falls/year) as when ascertained over activity (falls/step). Design Prospective, observational cohort study. Setting Clinic-based recruitment with real-world monitoring of falls and physical activity. Particpants Individuals with glaucoma or suspected glaucoma (N=230). Measurements Participants recorded falls using daily calendars, with injuries identified in a follow-up questionnaire. Annual 1-week accelerometer trials were used to estimate steps. VF results from both eyes were merged to determine integrated VF sensitivity, with lower sensitivity indicating greater VF damage. Other potential risk factors for falls (age, sex, race, comorbid illness, polypharmacy) were determined using questionnaires. Results The cumulative probability of falls was 45.2% at 12 months and 61.6% at 24 months; cumulative probability of injurious falls was 23.3% at 12 months and 40.0% at 24 months. Greater VF damage was associated with higher rates of falls/steps (incident rate ratio = 1.40/5 dB decrement in sensitivity; p = .004) but not with more falls/year (incident rate ratio = 1.25/5 dB decrement in sensitivity; p = .07). Several additional variables (older age, female sex, more comorbid disease) were also associated with a higher rate of falls/step (p < .02 for all) but not with falls/year (p > 0.10). Black participants had fewer falls/year than whites (p = .002) but did not differ in falls/step (p = .07). Similar results were obtained when injurious falls were analyzed. Conclusions Risk factors associated with frequent falls when walking (falls/step) are not properly identified when analyzing falls as a rate over time (falls/year). Given the clinical importance of preventing falls while preserving physical activity, falls assessment integrated with activity measurement is recommended when determining whether a risk factor is associated with falls. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:87-92, 2019.

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28 citations in Web of Science
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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Gerontology
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