Injurious falls before, during and after dementia diagnosis: a population-based study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neurology
• Public Health

Background:

• The precise timing of injurious falls in relation to dementia diagnosis remains unclear.
• Understanding fall risk progression is crucial for timely interventions in individuals at risk of dementia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine when injurious falls begin to increase before dementia diagnosis.
• To identify the peak risk period for injurious falls in people with dementia.
• To compare fall-related factors before and after dementia diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study involving 2,707 participants with incident dementia and matched controls.
• Utilized Swedish national registries for dementia diagnosis, fall data, and chronic disease history.
• Employed conditional Poisson regression and generalized estimating equation models for analysis.

Main Results:

• Injurious fall incidence rose by 70% starting 4 years pre-dementia diagnosis (IRR 1.70).
• The peak incidence of injurious falls occurred in the year of dementia diagnosis (IRR 3.73).
• Heavy drinking, physical activity, and cardiometabolic diseases were associated with falls in dementia patients.

Conclusions:

• Individuals with dementia experience a heightened risk of injurious falls starting years before diagnosis, peaking at diagnosis.
• Predictors for injurious falls in people with dementia include older age, female sex, heavy drinking, physical activity, and cardiometabolic diseases.