Accidental Falls Related to Physical and Environmental Risk Factors Among Older Hill Tribe Adults in Northern Thailand

Abstract

Objective: Falls remain a cause of disability in the elderly. The present study was carried out to estimate the prevalence of falls among the hill tribe elderly population in Northern Thailand and identify its associated factors. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in participants from 61 hill tribe villages in Chiang Rai province, Thailand aged more than 60 years. A simple random method was used to select the participants. A questionnaire was developed and validated for data collection. Timed-up and go test (TUGT) was used to assess the dynamic balance and risk of falls in the participants. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations between the study variables (p-value<0.05). Results: One hundred eighty-two participants were recruited into the study with a mean age of 69.54 years (S.D.=7.02). 59.9 % were women. It was found that 17.6% of elderly who fell in the previous 6 months and 28.0% of elderly who risks of falls as assessed by the TUGT. The multiple logistic regression model showed that tribe (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=4.40, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.88 to 22.02), dizziness (aOR=3.40, 95% CI=1.70 to 16.70), history of fall in the last 6 months (aOR=2.42, 95% CI=1.06 to 8.64), location of falls (aOR=1.37, 95% CI=1.02 to 18.22), and the 15-item geriatric depression scale (GDS-15) (aOR=12.91, 95% CI=1.07 to 84.85) were the associated risk factors for having a serious fall for hill tribe elderly. Conclusion: This study provides important determining factors associated with elderly falls, which can assist in developing and implementing an appropriate fall prevention program through environmental adjustments for the elderly.