%0 Journal Article
%T Falls in the Elderly at Angre University Hospital
%A Lauret Kouassi
%A Gilles Renaud Kouam&#233
%A N&#8217
%A Guessan Michel Konan
%A A&#239
%A chata Bamba
%A Salifou Kon&#233
%A Ubrich Venceslas Acko
%A Gnadou St&#233
%A phane Keny Yapa
%A Kadidiata Hamed Tour&#233
%A Famoussa Kon&#233
%A Jean K&#233
%A vin Acho
%A Kobenan Kouman Landry Gboko
%A Yao Omer Binan
%J Open Journal of Internal Medicine
%P 79-96
%@ 2162-5980
%D 2025
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/ojim.2025.152009
%X <b>Background: </b>Falls in older people can have serious consequences for their well-being and life expectancy. However, the information available remains insufficient in our context. <b>Objective:</b> The overall aim is to contribute to a better understanding of falls in the elderly. <b>Material and Method: </b>This is a retrospective, descriptive study of the records of patients aged 65 and over who consulted a geriatric unit in C&#244;te d&#8217;Ivoire. It focused on patients who had reported at least one fall in the 12 months preceding their consultation, regardless of where the fall occurred. <b>Results:</b> Prevalence was 14%, with an average age of 75.4 years and a sex ratio of 0.5. Balance and walking disorders were the main pathological cause of falls (50%). Most patients (87%) lived in the city and were faced with inadequate lighting (37%) and inappropriate footwear (95.4%). The main drug treatments followed were antihypertensive drugs (25%), followed by anticoagulants (13.9%). Falls occurred while walking (35.2%) and standing (23.1%), and were repeated in 49.1%. The traumatic consequences were mainly limb pain (27.8%) and arthralgia (22.2%) were the most common and also, 65.7% could not recover without assistance. Depression was found in 9.3% of patients. The trend was marked by a mortality rate of 5.5% of cases. <b>Conclusion:</b> Falls are frequent, caused by problems with balance and walking, and by environmental factors. They can have serious traumatic consequences and major psychological repercussions.
%K Falls
%K Elderly
%K University Hospital
%K Ivory Coast
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=142212