Characteristics of fall risks among the elderly in a family health unit

Abstract

Falls of the elderly represent an important health problem, which contribute to morbidity and mortality. These accidents can be prevented mainly by intervention, such as recognizing the situation. This research aims at characterizing the risk of falls among the elderly in a Family Health Unit (FHU) area. This study has been carried out with 65.3% of the elderly population in the area, n=301. The data was collected through interviews at the home of the elderly, using an instrument with questions referring to the intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors for falls, as well as the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the POMA instrument (Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment). The elderly who have taken part on this study have signed a free informed consent approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee from the School of Medicine of Marília. The results show that a greater number of women, 186 (61.8%), are exposed to risk factors. The elderly have inherent risks, such as inactivity, various pathologies, use of several drugs, insomnia, handicapped balance and walking; outstanding extrinsic risks for falls by the elderly are slippery floors, steps, and shoes that are inappropriate for their age. In this context, individual and collective actions are necessary: they must be multidisciplinary and multisectional. This is a challenge to the current care pattern..