Falls among the elderly in rural areas of the Sharkia Governorate, Egypt

Objective: Falls are one of the greatest public health problems affecting the elderly and can lead to serious consequences. To estimate the prevalence of falls among elderly individuals and to identify the associated risk factors. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 408 elderly persons aged 60 years and older in rural areas of the Sharkia governorate, Egypt. All participating persons were subjected to a structured interview questionnaire, Anthropometric measurements and Tinetti scale for balance and gait. Results: The prevalence of falls is high among the elderly (62%). Half of the falls occurred indoors, mostly in bathroom (38.2%), on stairs (22.8%) and in the bedroom (21.1%). Traffic falls occurred in (36.2%) of fallers. Slipping and dizziness were the most common causes of falls. The results showed a significant relationship between different types of chronic diseases, as well as medication use, and a high risky tinetti score (OR=12.3) Conclusion: Although falls are a frequent problem among elderly, there are preventable risk factors. Community and family physicians have an important role in the prevention and management of falls through the applications of geriatric care programs, identification of risk factors and screening for falls