Factors Associated with Behaviors of Falls Prevention among Thai Elderly in the Community at Doem Bang Nang Buat, Suphan Buri Province

Abstract

Falls are a major and common problem in the Thai elderly. It can lead to physical, psychological irreversible health, and threaten the lives of the elderly. It leads to illnesses affecting the lifestyle in social and economic. This cross-sectional analytical study aimed to study biosocial factors, perception of falls behavior, falling prevention behaviors, and study of relationships among biosocial, perception of falls behavior factors, and behaviors of falls prevention of Thai elderly people in the community. The samples were Thai elderly in Doem Bang Nang Buat district, Suphan Buri province. 412 elderly were included by the stratified random sampling. The tools used were questionnaires that applied the theory of the Health Beliefs Model. The content validity index (S-CVI) of 0.956 and the overall reliability was 0.888. Data analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, and Pearson's correlation coefficient were conducted.

The results revealed that of 412 elderly, 63.35% were female, 251 early elderly (60-69 years) (60.92%), 108 middle elderly (70-79 years) (26.22%), and 53 late elderly (80 years and over) (12.86%), mean age 66.84 years (S.D.=5.724), 80.10% graduated from primary school, marital status/couple 64.08%, living with a spouse 56.55%. 37.86% were farmers, 58.01% had insufficient income, 57.04% had the congenital disease, 34.71% had hypertension disease, 47.82% were their spouses, 51.94% had medication, most did not drink 74.03% alcohol, 27.43% had a history of fall in the past six months. The overall perception of fall behavior was a high level (Mean=2.66, S.D.=0.227), overall fall behaviors of falls prevention was a high level (Mean=2.07, S.D.=0.391). Biosocial factors were significantly associated with behaviors of falls prevention. Overall perceive falls factors were positive relationship at a low level with the behavior of fall prevention of the Thai elderly significant at <.01 (r= 0.215, p<0.001). Each aspect was very low positive correlation of falls: perceived susceptibility (r=0.204, p<0.001), perceived severity (r=0.122, p=0.001), perceived benefits (r=0.176, p<0.001), perceived barriers (r=0.179, p<0.001), and perceived self-efficacy (r=0.168, p=0.001).

According to this research, there was a positive correlation between perceived factors concerning all falls but at a very low level with the fall prevention behavior of the Thai elderly in the community. It should take into account the relationship with the biosocial factors of the elderly that may be found to be different in each age group of the elderly along with promoting and organizing activities that focus on the development of the elderly's ability to have the correct perception according to the health belief pattern in a step-by-step manner and appropriately in order to practice proper and safe fall prevention behaviors consistent with the context of the Thai elderly in the community.