Characteristics of fall recurrence among persistent, quasi-persistent, and transient fallers: a 3-year analysis from...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Falls in older adults represent a significant cause of disability and a substantial healthcare burden.
• Identifying distinct patterns of falling is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To operationalize fall occurrence profiles over three years to identify factors associated with persistent falling in community-dwelling older adults.
• To differentiate between persistent, quasi-persistent, and transient faller profiles.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the multicenter SCOPE study involving 2461 community-dwelling adults across seven European countries.
• Collected data on demographics, comorbidities, medication, functional status, mood, quality of life, kidney function, and fall characteristics over three years.
• Classified participants into Persistent-Fallers, Quasi Persistent-Fallers, and Transient-Fallers based on fall frequency and used logistic regression to identify predictors.

Main Results:

• Persistent-Fallers (n=137) experienced falls at all three timepoints, exhibiting poorer physical performance and worse health.
• Transient-Fallers (n=524) were generally healthier, more likely to fall outdoors, and sustained a higher risk of fractures per fall.
• Higher comorbidity burden, lower urinary tract symptoms, and poorer self-rated health were significantly associated with persistent falling.

Conclusions:

• Distinct faller profiles were identified: Persistent-Fallers reflect frailty and medical burden, Transient-Fallers are generally healthier but prone to fractures from outdoor falls, and Quasi-Persistent Fallers fall between these groups.
• Persistent falling is linked to overall medical burden and functional decline.
• Transient fallers' higher fracture risk may stem from lower risk awareness during outdoor falls.