Risk Factors to Fall with Hip Fracture in Elderly Patients Admitted in Udonthani Hospital

Abstract

Background : Fall is the common cause of hip fracture in elderly person. It could be avoided if the risk factor was identified and preventable problem was corrected according to its circumstance.
Objective : To identify the cause and risk factor of falls in northeastern Thai elders who admitted in Udonthani Hospital with hip fractures. Study design : Case-control study
Materials and methods : The case was the 43 elderly patients who admitted in Udonthani Hospital with hip fractures between June 2006 and May 2007. The control was the 74 elderly people who lived in the nearby environment of the case and experienced with falls but had no hip fractures. Information included demographic data, health and nutritional status, cause of fall and household environment. The data was analyzed by descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. The risk factors
were identified by using logistic regression analysis.
Result : Most of population were men (53.5%), aged 60–69 years (54.7%), 60.7% were married and 65.8% had BMI >20. Most of the falls happened within the house, 32.5% caused by slip and 28.2% caused by stumble. Household survey found indoor pets for 60.7%, slippery floor 48.7% and stepping floor 37.6%. Mostly they had outdoor slope or irregular floor but adequate indoor light.
The factors relating to falls with hip fracture by univariate analysis were age, body mass index (BMI), marriage status, activities of daily living (ADL), fall experience within 1 year and caffeine consumption (p<0.05). After logistic regression analysis was achieved, the significant risk factors were age above 70 years, low BMI, dependent ADL, chronic illness and fall experience within 1 year (OR= 2.84, 4.35, 4.38, 3.27 and 0.19 respectively).
Conclusion : Predicting factors that increased the risk for fall with hip fractures were age above 70 years, BMI <20, dependent ADL and chronic illness. Experience of fall within 1 year lessened the risk .