Prevalence of falls among community-dwelling elderly and its associated factors: A cross-sectional study in Perak, Malaysia

Abstract

Fall is a major cause of injuries and can increase the risk of early mortalityamong elderly. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of falls among community-dwelling elderly in rural Malaysia and its associated factors. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey in five randomly selected districts in the state of Perak, Malaysia. A total of 250 households were randomly selected. A total of 811 individuals aged 60 years or more were recruited and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Information about socio-demographic, history of falls in the past 1 year, medical history, drug history and physical activity level were enquired.

Keywords

• Elderly
• falls
• Malaysia
• older people
• risk factors