Nicole Boffin1, Sarah Moreels2, Katrien Vanthomme3, Viviane Van Casteren2. 1. OD Public Health and Surveillance, Scientific Institute of Public Health and nicole.boffin@wiv-isp.be. 2. OD Public Health and Surveillance, Scientific Institute of Public Health and. 3. Faculty of Economic, Social and Political Sciences, and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Falling among older persons is a multifactorial health condition needing multifactorial care. Several targeted preventive interventions and their coordination are considered to be general practitioner (GP)-specific tasks. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the incidence of falls among older non-institutionalized general practice patients in Belgium (2009-10) and to describe the main characteristics of falls, fallers and fall risks; factors associated with multiple fall risks and the co-occurrence of fall risks; patient status 3 months later and care delivery. METHODS: A 2-year nationwide cross-sectional study based on data collected by the Belgian network of Sentinel General Practices on all non-institutionalized persons aged ≥65 years consulting their GP for new fall-related injuries. RESULTS: Baseline data were collected on 1503 persons and valid follow-up data were available on 715 persons (79%). The yearly incidence of older persons with fall-related injuries was estimated at 2.5% of the older general practice population; 39% of patients had also received hospital care, physician-specialist or nursing home care. A multifactorial risk profile was observed in 59% and associated with increasing age, recurrent falling, falling at home and during lower level activity. The clustering of frailty-specific fall risks was higher than expected by chance. At follow-up, 46% of at-risk patients had received physical therapy, 47% were using assistive devices, and medication had been reviewed in 28% of patients taking psychopharmacy and 17% of patients with polypharmacy. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows a high burden of care for fall-related injuries in older general practice patients and provides baseline data for its future monitoring.
BACKGROUND:Falling among older persons is a multifactorial health condition needing multifactorial care. Several targeted preventive interventions and their coordination are considered to be general practitioner (GP)-specific tasks. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the incidence of falls among older non-institutionalized general practice patients in Belgium (2009-10) and to describe the main characteristics of falls, fallers and fall risks; factors associated with multiple fall risks and the co-occurrence of fall risks; patient status 3 months later and care delivery. METHODS: A 2-year nationwide cross-sectional study based on data collected by the Belgian network of Sentinel General Practices on all non-institutionalized persons aged ≥65 years consulting their GP for new fall-related injuries. RESULTS: Baseline data were collected on 1503 persons and valid follow-up data were available on 715 persons (79%). The yearly incidence of older persons with fall-related injuries was estimated at 2.5% of the older general practice population; 39% of patients had also received hospital care, physician-specialist or nursing home care. A multifactorial risk profile was observed in 59% and associated with increasing age, recurrent falling, falling at home and during lower level activity. The clustering of frailty-specific fall risks was higher than expected by chance. At follow-up, 46% of at-risk patients had received physical therapy, 47% were using assistive devices, and medication had been reviewed in 28% of patients taking psychopharmacy and 17% of patients with polypharmacy. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows a high burden of care for fall-related injuries in older general practice patients and provides baseline data for its future monitoring.
Authors: Kerrie M Sanders; Amanda L Stuart; David Scott; Mark A Kotowicz; Geoff C Nicholson Journal: Int J Endocrinol Date: 2015-07-27 Impact factor: 3.257
Authors: R Duncan; R M Francis; C Jagger; A Kingston; E McCloskey; J Collerton; L Robinson; T B L Kirkwood; F Birrell Journal: Osteoporos Int Date: 2014-09-16 Impact factor: 4.507
Authors: Juanita A Haagsma; Branko F Olij; Marek Majdan; Ed F van Beeck; Theo Vos; Chris D Castle; Zachary V Dingels; Jack T Fox; Erin B Hamilton; Zichen Liu; Nicholas L S Roberts; Dillon O Sylte; Olatunde Aremu; Till Winfried Bärnighausen; Antonio M Borzì; Andrew M Briggs; Juan J Carrero; Cyrus Cooper; Ziad El-Khatib; Christian Lycke Ellingsen; Seyed-Mohammad Fereshtehnejad; Irina Filip; Florian Fischer; Josep Maria Haro; Jost B Jonas; Aliasghar A Kiadaliri; Ai Koyanagi; Raimundas Lunevicius; Tuomo J Meretoja; Shafiu Mohammed; Ashish Pathak; Amir Radfar; Salman Rawaf; David Laith Rawaf; Lidia Sanchez Riera; Ivy Shiue; Tommi Juhani Vasankari; Spencer L James; Suzanne Polinder Journal: Inj Prev Date: 2020-02-28 Impact factor: 2.399