Falls and Physical Performance among Frail Sexagenarians and Septuagenarians

Abstract

Background: In Malaysia, there are few populationbased studies on the factors associated with falls, and there is a lack of prevention of falls among older adults in primary and secondary health care, particularly in terms of physical activity that could improve the physical performance of individuals at risk of falling. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine the relationship between physical performance, the number of falls and the sociodemographic, physical, clinical and functional characteristics of older adult fallers. Methods: Crosssectional study carried out among 72 older adults with a history of falls in the past year, 65.3% of which were women. The participants received care at the geriatric outpatient clinic and divided into the following groups: worst physical performance (WPP) and best physical performance (BPP), onetime fallers (1F) and frequent fallers (2F). Sociodemographic, clinical, physical and functional characteristics were considered as independent variables. Comparison analysis between the groups was conducted. Results: The WPP group was older and had a higher number of illnesses and less independence in most motor dimension tasks compared to the BPP group. The 2F group had a higher number of illnesses, less handgrip strength and less independence in the bowel management task in the motor dimension of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) compared to the 1F group. Conclusions: Among older adults fallers, poor physical performance is associated with more advanced age, more illnesses and less functional independence. Moreover, recurrent falls are associated with more illnesses, less muscle strength and less functional independence in the bowel management task.