•  
  •  
 

Abstract

Falls are a leading cause of injury among older adults, often resulting in significant physical, psychological, and social consequences. This study aims to determine the factors that contribute significantly to fall risks among the older adults in rural Sabah. A cross-sectional community study was conducted in the Kudat Division, Sabah, Malaysia from January to June 2021. Using multistage random sampling, 700 adults aged ≥60 years were recruited, excluding those with severe disability, mental illness, or institutionalized. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with a structured questionnaire adapted from the validated Japanese Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) tool, and anthropometric measures were taken to calculate body mass index (BMI). Logistic regression was performed in SPSS version 27 to identify factors associated with falls. The prevalence of falls among the elderly is 19%. The significant factors include the age ≥80 years old: higher adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for falls (AOR = 2.01); overweight: significantly higher risk (AOR = 4.17); walking difficulty: elevated risk (AOR = 1.69); and poor current health status: increased likelihood of falls (AOR = 1.88). In conclusion, these findings highlight key demographic and health-related factors associated with falls among the rural elderly population, contributing to a clearer understanding of fall risk in non-urban settings.

Bahasa Abstract

Prevalensi Jatuh pada Lansia di Pedesaan Sabah dan Faktor-faktor yang Memengaruhinya Jatuh merupakan penyebab utama cedera padalansiayang seringkali menimbulkan konsekuensi fisik, psikologis, dan sosial yang signifikan. Penelitian ini bertujuanuntuk mengetahui faktor-faktor yang berkontribusi secara signifikan terhadap risiko jatuh pada lansia di daerah pedesaan Sabah. Penelitian cross-sectionalberbasis komunitas dengan ini dilakukan di Divisi Kudat, Sabah, Malaysia dari Januari hingga Juni 2021. Dengan menggunakan multistage random sampling, penelitian ini melibatkan sebanyak 700 orang dewasa berusia ≥60 tahun, dengan pengecualian mereka yang memiliki disabilitas parah, gangguan mental, atau tinggal di panti jompo. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara tatap muka dengan kuesioner terstruktur yang diadaptasi dari Japanese Gerontological Evaluation Study(JAGES) yang telah tervalidasi, dan pengukuran antropometri dilakukan untuk menghitung body mass index (BMI). Model Regresi logistik dilakukan menggunakan SPSSversi 27 untuk mengidentifikasi faktor-faktor yang berkaitandengan jatuh. Prevalensi jatuh di kalangan lansia adalah 19%. Faktor-faktor signifikan meliputi usia ≥80 tahun: adjusted odds ratio (AOR) yang lebih tinggi untuk jatuh (AOR=2,01); kelebihan berat badan: risiko yang secara signifikan lebih tinggi (AOR=4,17); kesulitan berjalan: risiko yang meningkat (AOR=1,69); dan kondisi kesehatan saat ini yang buruk: kemungkinan jatuh yang lebih tinggi (AOR=1,88). Hasil penelitian menyoroti faktor-faktor demografis dan kesehatan berkaitan dengan kejadian jatuh pada populasi lansiadi daerah pedesaan yang berkontribusi pada pemahaman yang lebih baik mengenai risiko jatuh pada lingkungan non-pedesaan.

References

Ang, G.C., Low, S.L., & How, C.H. (2020). Approach to falls among the elderly in the community. Singapore Medical Journal, 61 (3), 116–121. doi: 10.11622/smedj.2020029.

Beauchet, O., & Montero-Odasso, M. (2020). Comprehensive falls assessment: Cognitive impairment is a matter to consider. In M. Montero-Odasso & R. Camicioli (Eds.), Falls and cognition in older persons: Fundamentals, Assessment and Therapeutic Options (pp. 87-106). Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-24233-6_6.

Byard, R., & Ritchey, D. (2021). Continued dangers from bed pole mobility devices. American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 43 (1), 98-100. doi: 10.1097/paf.0000000000000683.

Chantanachai, T., Sturnieks, D.L., Lord, S.R., Payne, N., Webster, L., & Taylor, M.E. (2021). Risk factors for falls in older people with cognitive impairment living in the community: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Ageing Research Reviews, 71, 101452. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101452.

de Rekeneire, N., Leo-Summers, L., Han, L., & Gill, T.M. (2014). Epidemiology of restricting fatigue in older adults: the precipitating events project. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 62 (3), 476–481. doi: 10.1111/jgs.12685.

Dokuzlar, O., Okudur, S.K., Soysal, P., Kocyigit, S.E., Yavuz, I., Smith, L., Bulut, E.A., & Isik, A.T. (2020). Factors that increase risk of falling in older men according to four different clinical methods. Experimental Aging Research, 46 (1), 83–92. doi: 10.1080/0361073X.2019.1669284.

Gale, C.R., Cooper, C., & Aihie Sayer, A. (2016). Prevalence and risk factors for falls in older men and women: The English longitudinal study of ageing. Age and Ageing, 45 (6), 789–794. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afw129.

Grimmer, M., Riener, R., Walsh, C.J., & Seyfarth, A. (2019). Mobility related physical and functional losses due to aging and disease - A motivation for lower limb exoskeletons. Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation, 16 (1), 2. doi: 10.1186/s12984-018-0458-8.

Hamza, A., Elokl, A., Shaltoot, M., & Abohashim, S. (2018). Risk of falls among obese elderly females. The Egyptian Journal of Geriatrics and Gerontology, 5 (1), 1-4. doi: 10.21608/ejgg.2018.30880.

Immonen, M., Haapea, M., Similä, H., Enwald, H., Keränen, N., Kangas, M., Jämsä, T., & Korpelainen, R. (2020). Association between chronic diseases and falls among a sample of older people in Finland. BMC Geriatrics, 20 (1), 225. doi: 10.1186/s12877-020-01621-9.

Institute for Public Health, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia. (2020). National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019: Vol. I: Non-communicable diseases, risk factors and other health problems (Technical Report). Selangor, Malaysia: Institute for Public Health. Retrieved from https://iku.gov.my/nhms-2019

Laurence, B.D., & Michel L. (2017). The fall in older adults: Physical and cognitive problems. Current Aging Science, 10 (3), 185-200. doi: 10.2174/1874609809666160630124552.

Montero-Odasso, M., van der Velde, N., Alexander, N.B., Becker, C., Blain, H., Camicioli, R., Close, J., Duan, L., Duque, G., Ganz, D.A., Gómez, F., Hausdorff, J.M., Hogan, D.B., Jauregui, J.R., Kenny, R.A., Lipsitz, L.A., Logan, P.A., Lord, S.R., Mallet, L., … & Task Force on Global Guidelines for Falls in Older Adults. (2021). New horizons in falls prevention and management for older adults: A global initiative. Age and Ageing, 50 (5), 1499–1507. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afab076.

National Digital Department, Malaysia. (2024). Change 2014-2015. Retrieved from: https://www.malaysia.gov.my/portal/statistic.

Peel, N.M., Alapatt, L.J., Jones, L.V., & Hubbard, R.E. (2019). the association between gait speed and cognitive status in community-dwelling older people: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Journals of Gerontology, 74 (6), 943–948. doi: 10.1093/gerona/gly140.

Rudnicka, E., Napierała, P., Podfigurna, A., Męczekalski, B., Smolarczyk, R., & Grymowicz, M. (2020). The World Health Organization (WHO) approach to healthy ageing. Maturitas, 139, 6–11. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2020.05.018.

Tornero-Quiñones, I., Sáez-Padilla, J., Díaz, A.E., Robles, M.T.A., & Robles, Á.S. (2020). Functional ability, frailty and risk of falls in the elderly: Relations with autonomy in daily living. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (3), 1006. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17031006.

Woo, M., Davids, K., Liukkonen, J., Chow, J., & Jaakkola, T. (2017). Falls, cognitive function, and balance profiles of Singapore community-dwelling elderly individuals: Key risk factors. Geriatric Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, 8 (4), 256-262. doi: 10.1177/2151458517745989.

Ye, P., Er, Y., Wang, H., Fang, L., Li, B., Ivers, R., Keay, L., Duan, L., & Tian, M. (2021). Burden of falls among people aged 60 years and older in mainland China, 1990-2019: Findings from the global burden of disease study 2019. The Lancet Public Health, 6 (12), e907–e918. doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00231-0.

Yorulmaz, M., & Mohamed, N.N. (2019). Malaysia health system review: Overviews and opinions. International Journal of Health Administration and Education Congress (Sanitas Magisterium), 5 (1), 45-57. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/627351.

Zhang, Y., Li, X., Wang, Y., Ge, L., Pan, F., Winzenberg, T., & Cai, G. (2023). Association of knee and hip osteoarthritis with the risk of falls and fractures: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Arthritis Research and Therapy, 25 (1), 184. doi: 10.1186/s13075-023-03179-4.

Download

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.