Fall‐Associated Difficulty with Activities of Daily Living in Functionally Independent Individuals Aged 65 to 69 in the United States: A Cohort Study. Issue 1 (11th January 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sekaran, Nishant K.; Choi, Hwajung; Hayward, Rodney A.; Langa, Kenneth M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Volume 61:Issue 1(2013:Jan.)
• Page Start: 96
• Page End: 100
• Publication Date: 2013-01-11
• Subjects: Geriatrics -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1111/jgs.12071
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-8614

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en" id="jgs12071-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jgs12071-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objectives</title> <p>To determine whether falling would be a marker for future difficulty with activities of daily (ADLs) that would vary according to fall frequency and associated injury.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgs12071-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Design</title> <p>Longitudinal analysis.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgs12071-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Setting</title> <p>Community.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgs12071-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Participants</title> <p>Nationally representative cohort of 2, 020 community‐living, functionally independent older adults aged 65 to 69 at baseline followed from 1998 to 2008.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgs12071-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Measurements</title> <p>ADL difficulty.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgs12071-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Experiencing one fall with injury (odds ratio (OR) = 1.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.29–2.48), at least two falls without injury (OR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.80–3.09), or at least two falls with at least one injury (OR = 3.75, 95% CI = 2.55–5.53) in the prior 2 years was independently associated with higher rates of ADL difficulty after adjustment for sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical covariates.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgs12071-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>Falling is an important marker for future ADL difficulty in younger, functionally independent older adults. Individuals who fall frequently or report injury are at highest risk.</p> </sec> </abstract>