Kayoung Lee1, Matthew A Davis2, John E Marcotte2, Susan J Pressler3, Jersey Liang4, Nancy A Gallagher2, Marita G Titler2. 1. Yonsei University College of Nursing, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kayolee22@gmail.com. 2. University of Michigan School of Nursing, 400 North Ingalls St., Ann Arbor, 48109-5482, United States. 3. Indiana University School of Nursing, 600 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States. 4. University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2029, United States.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: While heart failure (HF) in older adults is associated with fall risk, little is known about this in the U.S. OBJECTIVE: To examine the independent effect of functional impairments related to HF on falls among community-dwelling older adults in the U.S. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 17,712 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 and above with (n = 1693) and without HF, using mixed-effects logistic regression to examine the association between HF and falls. RESULTS: HF patients had 14% greater odds of falling than those without HF. Moreover, HF patients with functional difficulties in mobility, large muscle difficulty, instrumental activities of daily living difficulty, poor vision, and urinary incontinence demonstrated an increased likelihood of falling. CONCLUSION: Community-dwelling older adults with HF and functional difficulties have a higher fall risk than those without HF, indicating that fall prevention programs should be developed, tested, and implemented for this population.
BACKGROUND: While heart failure (HF) in older adults is associated with fall risk, little is known about this in the U.S. OBJECTIVE: To examine the independent effect of functional impairments related to HF on falls among community-dwelling older adults in the U.S. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 17,712 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 and above with (n = 1693) and without HF, using mixed-effects logistic regression to examine the association between HF and falls. RESULTS:HFpatients had 14% greater odds of falling than those without HF. Moreover, HFpatients with functional difficulties in mobility, large muscle difficulty, instrumental activities of daily living difficulty, poor vision, and urinary incontinence demonstrated an increased likelihood of falling. CONCLUSION: Community-dwelling older adults with HF and functional difficulties have a higher fall risk than those without HF, indicating that fall prevention programs should be developed, tested, and implemented for this population.