Abstract
Introduction: Falls in the elderly are considered a major public health and social concern. In view of Iran’s growing ageing population, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of falls and to identify factors that influence them, especially the physical activity of older people.
Study Design: A cross-sectional study.
Methods: Data for this cross-sectional study were obtained from 7,462 participants in the Neyshabur Longitudinal Study of Ageing, registered in 2016-2018. Fall was the outcome variable. The effect of physical activity on falls was analyzed in conjunction with socioeconomic and medical history variables. Finally, statistical analysis was conducted using the chi-square test and logistic regression in SPSS 22.
Results: The prevalence of falls was 20.4%. Moreover, adjusted logistic regression revealed that low physical activity (OR=1.19; 95% CI: 1.01–1.40), unemployment (OR=1.26; 95% CI: 1.04–1.54), and male gender (OR=s1.24; 95% CI: 1.02–1.5) were risk factors for falls (P<0.050).
Conclusion: High physical activity may potentially play a beneficial role in reducing falls and their associated health outcomes, particularly in older individuals. Accordingly, any intervention to reduce falls should focus on physical activity, employment, and male gender.