Factors Associated with Falls among the Older Adults in Nakhon Ratchasima Province
Keywords:
older adults, community, falls, factors associated with fallsAbstract
Falls among older adults are common in all countries worldwide. The consequences of falls include injuries, disabilities, and mortality. This cross-sectional analytical study aimed to examine the incidence of falls and investigate factors associated with falls among older adults in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. A total of 384 older adults were selected using cluster sampling in six groups. Data were collected using a questionnaire, with IOCs ranging from 0.67 to 1 and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests.
The study results revealed that the incidence of falls among older adults in the past six months was 21.30%, with 82 individuals reporting at least one fall. Personal and environmental factors were significantly associated with the falls. Personal factors that were significantly associated with falls included having chronic diseases, the number of chronic diseases, regular use of diuretics and other medications, visual impairment, balance problems, and urinary incontinence (p < .05). Environmental factors significantly associated with falls included housing characteristics, furniture arrangement, indoor lighting, and bathroom lighting (p< .05). Conclusions and recommendations: The findings highlight the incidence of falls and the influence of both personal and environmental factors on fall risk among older adults. These results can serve as fundamental data for relevant stakeholders to develop fall prevention strategies, improve living environments, and enhance care for older adults in the community.
Downloads
References
Suh M, Kim DH, Cho I, Ham OK. Age and gender differences in fall-related factors affecting community-dwelling older adults. J Nurs Res. 2023;31(2):e270.
Moreland BL, Burns ER, Haddad YK. National rates of non-fatal emergency department visits and hospitalisations due to fall-related injuries in older adults 2010–2014 and 2016: Transitioning from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM. Inj Prev. 2021;27(S1):i75–8.
Bhoomika V, Chandrappa M, Reddy MM. Prevalence of fall and associated risk factors among the elderly living in a rural area of Kolar. J Family Med Prim Care. 2022;11(7):3956-60.
Alex D, Khor HM, Chin AV, Hairi NN, Cumming RG, Othman S, et.al. Factors associated with falls among urban-dwellers aged 55 years and over in the Malaysian elders longitudinal research (MELoR) study. Front Public Health. 2020;8(506238):1-8.
Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health. [FP] Fall data (W00 - W19). [Internet]. 2024 [cited 2024 Mar 15]. Available from: https://ddc.moph.go.th/dip/news.php?news=23567&deptcode. (in Thai)
Simonné I, Kis P, Gyombolai Z, Kubik A, Báthory S, Kovács É. Prevalence of risk factors for falls among older adult ambulant patients on a chronic inpatient ward. Dev Health Sci. 2023;5(1):1-7.
Poungthong N, Keeratisiroj O. Factors influencing falls prevention behavior among the elderly in Thapthan District, Uthaithani Province. Journal of Health and Nursing Research. 2022;38(1):73-85. (in Thai)
Xing L, Bao Y, Wang B, Shi M, Wei Y, Huang X, et.al. Falls caused by balance disorders in the elderly with multiple systems involved: Pathogenic mechanisms and treatment strategies. Front Public Health. 2023;23(14)14:1-8.
Khongboon P, Pongpanich S. Estimating Long-term care costs among Thai Elderly: A Phichit Province case Study. J Aging Res. 2018;2018:4180565.
Ngamsangiam P, Suttanon P. Risk factors for falls among community-dwelling elderly people in Asia: A systematic review. Sci Technol Asia. 2020;25(3):105-26.
Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Public Health Office. Elderly data. [Internet] 2024 [cited 2024 Mar 15]. Available from: https://nma.hdc.moph.go.th/hdc/reports/report.php?source. (in Thai)
National Statistical Office. The Survey of Older Persons in Thailand, 2024. Bangkok: National Statistical Office; 2025.
Krejcie RV, Morgan DW. Determining sample size for research activities. Educ Psychol Meas. 1970;30(3):607-10.
Namwong T, Arrirak N. Prevalence and risk factors of falls among elderly in Yasothon province. Disease Control Journal. 2023;49(1):158-66. (in Thai)
Wandee P, Phothong J, Jaiyangyeun U. The study of falls among the elderly in the community, Suphan Buri Province. Regional Health Promotion Center 9 Journal. 2020;14(34):126-41. (in Thai)
Phucharern O, Rodkaew A, Konkong C, Thongbuaban R. The related factors to elderly fall in Huaroe Subdistrict Mueang District Phitsanulok Province. PSRU Journal of Science and Technology 2018;3(2):46-54. (in Thai)
Leong WS, Zukri INM, Ching SM, Devaraj NK. Factors associated with falls among the elderly attending a government clinic in Kuala Lumpur. Mal J Med Health Sci. 2020;16(1):183-90.
Appeadu MK, Bordoni B. Falls and Fall Prevention in Older Adults. [Updated 2023 Jun 4]. In: StatPearls Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing 2025 Jan [Internet].2023 [cited 2024 Mar 15]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560761/
Rodseeda P. Fall prevention among the elderly living in a community: The nursing role in home health care. Thai Red Cross Nursing Journal. 2018;11(2):15-25. (in Thai)
Photipim M, Pholsripradist P, Bonyaphagorn S, Bunyaphagorn J, Ketbumroong V, Norkaew J, et.al. The effect of social support and other factors on resilience among older adults. J Health Sci Res. 2023;17(2):143-52. (in Thai)
Zhao Y, Xie D, Zhang C, Wang H, Zhang B, Liu S, et al. Analysis of factors influencing fall risk among elderly people in rural of China. Sci Rep. 2024;27;14(1):9703.
Wang K, Chen M, Zhang X, Zhang L, Chang C, Tian Y, et al.. The incidence of falls and related factors among Chinese elderly community residents in six provinces. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19:14843.
Department of Older Persons. Falls in older persons [Internet]. [cited 2024 May 11]. Available from: https://www.dop.go.th/th/know/15/548
Boonkhao L, Puangjan K, Ouengprasert I, Laosupap K, Bootsorn A, Junsiri S, et al. Home environmental factors associated with falls among elderly in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2024;17:1363-73.
Hongchuvech Y. Reducing the risk factors of falls in the elderly. EAU Herit J Sci Technol. 2024;18(1):32–43.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Nursing and Therapeutic Care
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
