Evaluation of away-from-home excursion patterns after falling among individuals with glaucoma: a longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Ophthalmology
• Public Health

Background:

• Unintentional falls in older adults often lead to reduced physical activity.
• Falls are a significant concern for older individuals, impacting their mobility and independence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between fall status and changes in daily excursions among older adults with glaucoma.
• To determine if individuals modify their travel behavior after experiencing falls.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study involving older adults with glaucoma or suspected glaucoma.
• Global Positioning System (GPS) devices were used to track daily excursions, time away from home, and time per excursion at baseline and one year later.
• Statistical models (negative binomial regression, GEE) were used to analyze the relationship between fall status and excursion parameters.

Main Results:

• No significant associations were found between fall status (fallers, injurious fallers, recurrent fallers) and end-of-study excursion parameters.
• Excursion parameters at the one-year follow-up did not differ significantly from baseline, regardless of fall status.
• Visual field damage did not influence the relationship between fall status and travel behavior.

Conclusions:

• Older adults with glaucoma who experienced falls did not alter their travel patterns away from home.
• The maintenance of travel behavior post-fall warrants further investigation to understand if it represents adaptive strategies or continued risk-taking.