Falling prevalence and risk factors of older people in central Kirklareli province

This is a descriptive-retrospective study carried out with the purpose of specifying falling risk factors and falling prevalence of older people at or over the age of 65 living in central Kırklareli province. The study population comprised 9815 people at or over the age of 65 registered at central Kırklareli province. Study sample were 718 people aged 65 or older. Study sample comprised older people (n=812) monitored by 20 family physicians working at 6 family health centers in central Kırklareli province and who applied to family health centers between March and June 2015. The data were obtained through face to face interview method with Older Individual Data Form and Falling Prevalence and Risk Factors Question Form for Older People. Mean age was 73,28±6,46. Fifty two percent of participants were women while 48% were men and 86.3% had chronic disease. 35.6% of the sample reported falling history at 65 or later. Average number of falling of study sample was 2.47±2.40. It was found that 41.5% of older people who reported falling history fell outside home, 36.3% fell by stumbling and 36% fell due to dizziness and 11.5% received medical treatment for falling at a hospital. It was found that 32.3% of the sample were worried about falling and 82.6% took precautions at home against falling. Logistic regression analysis results revealed that gender, education level, osteoporosis and using a walking device were variables which are associated with falling. Study findings indicate that falling prevalence and risk factors are high in older people. Therefore, it is suggested that nurses assess older people at or over the age of 65 who live at home in terms of falling risk, in addition to individual and social precautions inside and outside homes against falling.