Association of timed up and go test results with future injurious falls among older adults by sex: a population-based cohort study

Abstract

Abstract Background This study aimed to determine whether sex-specific timed up and go (TUG) test results are associated with injurious fall occurrence in older adults and to identify risk factors for injurious falls based on TUG test results. Methods Data were obtained from an older adult cohort database provided by the National Health Insurance Service, which included 34,030 individuals aged 66 years or older who underwent life-transition health examinations in 2007 and 2008 and were followed up until 2019. To identify the risk factors for injurious falls, this study performed a Cox proportional hazard regression analysis by sex, with individual characteristics, including TUG test results, as independent variables. Results The TUG test was associated with injurious falls occurrence in older adult men, but not in older adult women. Among men with abnormal TUG results, those with abnormal systolic blood pressure had a greater risk of injurious falls. In women, dysuria, hearing impairment, underweight, abnormal systolic blood pressure, diabetes, depressive mood, and low bone mineral density (osteopenia and osteoporosis) were identified as risk factors for injurious falls, regardless of the TUG test results. Risk factors for injurious falls after the TUG test differed by sex. Conclusions The TUG test is useful for detecting injurious falls in older adult men. This study identified important risk factors for injurious falls in older adult women that can be targeted in prevention strategies.

Keywords

• Fall
• Older adult
• Timed up and go test
• Risk factor
• Sex difference