Rates and factors associated with falls in older European Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, African-Americans, and Hispanics

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of participants

Characteristics	N=550, n (%)
Ethnicity
African-American	106 (19)
Afro-Caribbean	109 (20)
Hispanic	113 (21)
European American	222 (40)
Fallers	198 (36)
Age (mean, SD)	75 (9)
Males	157 (29)
Practice moderate physical activities at least once a week	345 (63)
Use of ambulatory device	91 (17)
Has difficulty remembering	67 (12)
Has difficulty shopping alone	72 (13)
Fatigue-related dysfunction	323 (59)
Use of anxiety medication	55 (10)
Use of arthritis medication	144 (26)
Use of depression medication	65 (12)
Persistent swelling of the feet	149 (27)
Shortness of breath while awake	98 (18)
Persistent dizziness or lightheadedness	80 (15)
Back pain	249 (45)
Urinary incontinence	157 (29)

Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation.

Table 2 Characteristics of participants according to fall event: univariable analysis

Characteristics	Fall, n=198	No fall, n=352	Crude risk ratio	P-value
	n (%)	n (%)	RR (95% CI)
Ethnicity
Afro-Caribbean	26 (24)	83 (76)	1.00	–
African-American	42 (40)	64 (60)	1.63 (1.07–2.47)	0.022
Hispanic	44 (39)	69 (61)	1.62 (1.07–2.44)	0.022
European American	86 (39)	136 (61)	1.57 (1.08–2.29)	0.019
Male sex	53 (34)	104 (66)	0.91 (0.70–1.17)	0.461
Practice physical activities at least once a week	132 (38)	213 (62)	1.17 (0.92–1.49)	0.207
Age ≥75 years	111 (43)	150 (57)	1.37 (1.09–1.72)	0.007
Use of ambulatory device	44 (48)	47 (52)	1.43 (1.11–1.85)	0.006
Has difficulty shopping alone	37 (51)	35 (49)	1.46 (1.11–1.93)	0.007
Has difficulty remembering	35 (52)	32 (48)	1.50 (1.14–1.99)	0.004
Fatigue-related dysfunction	137 (42)	186 (58)	1.58 (1.21–2.06)	0.001
Use of anxiety medication	35 (64)	20 (36)	1.86 (1.43–2.41)	<0.001
Use of arthritis medication	68 (47)	76 (53)	1.43 (1.10–1.84)	0.007
Use of depression medication	33 (51)	32 (49)	1.44 (1.07–1.95)	0.018
Persistent swelling of the feet	71 (48)	78 (52)	1.52 (1.21–1.91)	<0.001
Shortness of breath while awake	47 (48)	51 (52)	1.43 (1.11–1.84)	0.005
Persistent dizziness or lightheadedness	37 (46)	43 (54)	1.39 (1.06–1.82)	0.017
Back pain	116 (47)	133 (53)	1.68 (1.33–2.13)	<0.001
Urinary incontinence	84 (54)	73 (46)	1.84 (1.48–2.29)	<0.001

Abbreviation: CI, confidence interval.

Figure 1 Multivariable analysis of factors associated with falls.

Note: *P<0.05.

Table 3 Fall risk ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) stratified according to ethnicity for the characteristics significantly associated with falls in the multivariable model

Characteristics	Afro-Caribbean	African-American	Hispanic	European American
	n=109 (95% CI)	n=106 (95% CI)	n=113 (95% CI)	n=222 (95% CI)
Age ≥75 years	1.34 (1.04–1.74)	1.28 (1.04–1.57)	1.26 (1.04–1.52)	1.25 (1.04–1.50)
Persistent feet swelling	1.42 (1.07–1.90)	1.32 (1.08–1.61)	1.31 (1.07–1.62)	1.32 (1.06–1.64)
Back pain	1.43 (1.08–1.89)	1.33 (1.08–1.63)	1.32 (1.08–1.63)	1.32 (1.08–1.61)
Anxiety medication	1.64 (1.05–2.56)	1.49 (1.07–2.06)	1.47 (1.07–2.03)	1.46 (1.07–1.99)
Urinary incontinence	1.65 (1.19–2.27)	1.50 (1.18–1.89)	1.48 (1.18–1.86)	1.46 (1.18–1.82)