National data on the prevalence and correlates of recurrent falls among community-dwelling older adults in India in 2017-2018

Abstract

The study aimed to examine the prevalence and correlates of occasional and recurrent falls among older adults in India. The sample included 31,477 older adults (≥60 years) from the cross-sectional 2017-2018 Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave 1. Results indicate that 12.9% of participants had an occasional fall (1 time) and 9.8% had recurrent falls (≥2 times) in the past two years. In adjusted multinomial logistic regression analysis, factors positively associated with recurrent falls included older age (≥80 years) (Adjusted Relative Risk Ratio-ARRR: 1.29, 95% Confidence Interval-CI: 1.05-1.59), live event stressors (ARRR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.34-2.01), poor or fair self-rated health status (ARRR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.08-1.80), insomnia symptoms (ARRR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.11-1.50), major depressive disorder (ARRR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.13-1.69), diabetes (ARRR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.01-1.89), angina (ARRR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.21-1.85), stroke (ARRR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.09-2.12), arthritis or rheumatism, osteoporosis or other bone/joint diseases (ARRR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.06-1.69), high functional disability (ARRR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.04-1.55), pain (ARRR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.08-1.57), hearing problem (ARRR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.09-2.70) and incontinence (ARRR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.45-2.52). Factors negatively associated with recurrent falls were male sex (ARRR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.54-0.79), and urban residence (ARRR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.68-0.97). In addition, food insecurity increased and no schooling decreased the odds of occasional falls. One in ten participants had recurrent falls in the past two years, and several factors associated with recurrent falls were identified that can be used in designing falls prevention programmes in India.