[Falls in older adults: predictors and space distribution]

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Context:

• Falls among the elderly represent a significant public health concern, impacting quality of life and healthcare costs.
• Understanding the specific prevalence and risk factors within a defined community is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose:

• To determine the prevalence of falls in the past 12 months among elderly residents in Uberaba.
• To analyze the association between sociodemographic and health characteristics and fall occurrence in this population.
• To identify and categorize the types of falls experienced by the elderly in Uberaba.

Summary:

• A cross-sectional study involving 612 elderly individuals in Uberaba revealed a 24.7% fall prevalence in the last 12 months.
• Key risk factors identified include female gender, advanced age (80+ years), illiteracy, living alone, lack of a partner, negative self-perceived health, dependency in Activities of Daily Living (BADL, IALD), reduced participation in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (AADL), pre-frailty/frailty, and poor physical performance.
• Fall clusters were concentrated in the center-west and southeast regions of the city.

Impact:

• Findings provide a demographic and health profile of elderly individuals at high risk for falls in Uberaba.
• This knowledge enables healthcare professionals to develop targeted preventive, monitoring, and control strategies for falls in the elderly.