Fall risk, falling prevalence and functional deficiency linked to fall in elders living in Trabzon

Old age is the period which individuals' loss of status, addiction and increased risk of accidents happens and physical ability is reduced during the period. Aged individuals, approximately 1/3 of them, have the experience of falling every year. Research, in the center of the city of Trabzon, was made to detect for individuals' fall risk factors, prevalence of falls and fall-related functional impairment who are 65 years and older. Cross-sectional and descriptive study sample of this study was made with 343 individuals, aged 65 and over living in Trabzon. Data were collected with 24 item questionnaire about sociodemographic characteristics, risk factors for falls, falls on the prevalence and functional failure using questionnaires and short disability. Data were evaluated by the number, percentage and chi-square and Student's t test was used. In this study, the prevalence of falls in people over the age of 65 and 36.2% were found. The prevalence of falls were significantly increased with age (p<0.05). Body mass index was weak in those (62.5%) , single or widowed (41.6%) literate and illiterate in (40%) , nonworking in the elderly (60%), extended family (54.3%), multi-storey and walk- living in the (35.3%), chronic disease (40.1%), multiple drug users (50%), urinary incontinence (60.9%), visual status on the weak (48.7%), with balance problems (62.3%) in the elderly fall history were higher. Among the causes of falls, accidents or environmental factors first (31.2%) were detected. %50 is the percentage of cause of falling in bathroom with no grab bars on closet or lack of grab bars. 26% of the elders claimed the insufficiency to fulfill the role. With severe disability (54.81%) of the elderly 13.7% had a history of fall. The falling of elderly people is a common problem. Identified risk factors and causes for the development of prevention programs will be effective in reducing the rate of falls. Key Words: Fall prevalance, functional inability, old age, the risk of falling