Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 11, 2025
Exergaming in Older People Living with HIV Improves Balance, Mobility and Ameliorates Some Aspects of Frailty
Published on: October 6, 2016
Nutritional, Cognitive, and Functional Deficits, Frailty, and Quality of Life Associated With Fall Risk in
Larissa Amorim Almeida1, Bruno Araújo da Silva Dantas2, Kalyne Patrícia de Macêdo Rocha1
1Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
Introduction/Objective:
Falls affect approximately 30% of the older adult population. We aimed to compare the associations between fall risk and different multidimensional health aspects among older adults receiving care in the Brazilian Primary Health Care (PHC) system.
Method:
Cross-sectional, quantitative study involving older adults from PHC. The Fall Risk Score, Mini Nutritional Assessment, Mini-Mental State Examination, Edmonton Frail Scale, Barthel Index, Lawton & Brody Scale, and Medical Outcomes Study Questionnaire Short Form was used to measure the variables of interest. Correlation analyses and binary logistic regression were also employed.
Results:
A total of n = 257 individuals participated, of whom n = 102 (39.7%) were with risk for falls. Preserved cognition, absence of frailty, and better functionality levels were identified as protective factors against fall risk through association and correlation analyses. The binary logistic regression analysis found that the factors contributing most to the reduction of fall risk were higher nutritional scores, better cognitive function, preserved functionality (BADL and IADL), and the functional domain of quality of life (QoL).
Conclusion:
Better nutritional status, cognition, functionality, and QoL were associated with a lower risk of falls. Although frailty exhibited similar results, it did not stand out equally as a contributing factor to fall risk.
Related Concept Videos
01:19The Effect of Aging on Tissues
01:29Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
01:26Aging
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood