Home Environmental Factors Associated with Falls Among Elderly in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand

Figures & data

Table 1 The Demographic Characteristics of the Elderly Residing in That Subdistrict (N= 264)

Demographic Data	Frequency	Percentage
Gender
- Male	102	38.6
- Female	162	61.4
Age   - Median =68.00, IQR =9, Max =93, Min =60
Marital status, Living type
- Single, Living with family	29	11.0
- With a spouse, Living with family	139	52.7
- Separated, divorced, or widowed, Living with family	96	36.4
House types
- One-story house with a low floor elevation	151	57.2
- One-story house with a high floor elevation	35	13.3
- 2-story house	78	29.5
History of falling in the previous 6 months
- Yes	32	12.1
- No	232	87.9
The cause of falling (n=32)
- Tripping	12	37.5
- Slipping	9	28.1
- Misstepping	7	21.9
- Falling or falling from a height	4	12.5
The location where the fall occurred (n=32)
- Bedroom	1	3.1
- Bathroom	4	12.5
- Living room	4	12.5
- Parking garage	6	18.8
- Area around the house	17	53.1

Abbreviations: IQR, Interquartile Range; Max, Maximum; Min, Minimum.

Figure 1 Percentage of unsuitable features in elderly home.

Table 2 The Relationship Between Environmental Factors and Falls in Elderly People (N= 264)

Environmental factors	History of Falls Within a Six-Month Period Frequency (Percentage)		Chi-Square Test	p-value
	With Falls	Without Falls
Living room
1. Insufficient lighting			31.138*	<0.001
- yes	9 (3.4)	7 (2.7)
- no	23 (8.7)	225 (85.2)
2. Split-level floor			1.107	0.293
- yes	12 (4.5)	66 (25.0)
- no	20 (7.6)	166 (62.9)
3. Not enough space for movement			4.813*	0.090
- yes	6 (2.3)	25 (9.5)
- no	25 (9.5)	206 (78.0)
4. Obstacles or wires on the walkway			5.929*	0.044
- yes	4 (1.5)	7 (2.7)
- no	28 (10.6)	224 (84.8)
Kitchen
5. Not enough space for movement			0.032*	0.600
- yes	1 (0.4)	6 (2.3)
- no	31 (11.7)	226 (85.6)
6. Obstacles or wires on the walkway			0.009*	>0.05
- yes	1 (0.4)	8 (3.0)
- no	31 (11.7)	224 (84.8)
7. Insecurely attached carpet to the floor			2.101*	0.189
- yes	2 (0.8)	37 (14.0)
- no	30 (11.4)	195 (73.9)
8. Cabinets are too low or too high.			11.326*	0.003
- yes	6 (2.3)	7 (2.7)
- no	26 (9.8)	224 (84.8)
- not applicable	0 (0.0)	1 (0.4)
Bathroom
9. The toilet is located outside the house.			0.647	0.421
- yes	8 (3.0)	44 (16.7)
- no	24 (9.1)	188 (71.2)
10. Insufficient lighting			7.726*	0.017
- yes	5 (1.9)	9 (3.4)
- no	27 (10.2)	223 (84.5)
11. Split-level floor			4.444*	0.087
- yes	12 (4.5)	64 (24.2)
- no	19 (7.2)	167 (63.3)
- not applicable	1 (0.4)	1 (0.4)
12. Obstacles on the bathroom floor			11.326*	0.003
- yes	6 (2.3)	7 (2.7)
- no	26 (9.8)	224 (84.8)
- not applicable	0 (0.0)	1 (0.4)
13. The doormat is not smooth or slippery.			0.719*	>0.05
- yes	4 (1.5)	34 (12.9)
- no	28 (10.6)	197 (74.6)
- not applicable	0 (0.0)	1 (0.4)
14. The shower area is not safe.
- yes	2 (0.8)	8 (3.0)	2.259*	0.252
- no	13 (4.9)	29 (11.0)
15. The shower area is not separated from the toilet.			16.627	<0.001
- yes	19 (7.2)	203 (76.9)
- no	13 (4.9)	29 (11.0)
16. No shower seat/shower chair			2.598*	0.280
- yes	23 (8.7)	136 (51.5)
- no	9 (3.4)	95 (36.0)
- not applicable	0 (0.0)	1 (0.4)
17. No seated toilets			0.236*	0.829
- yes	7 (2.7)	60 (22.7)
- no	25 (9.5)	172 (65.2)
18. Too-low or too-high seated toilets			9.144*	0.005
- yes	11 (4.2)	30 (11.4)
- no	21 (8.0)	201 (76.1)
- not applicable	0 (0.0)	1 (0.4)
Bedroom
19. Insufficient lighting			9.139*	0.015
- yes	4 (1.5)	5 (1.9)
- no	28 (10.6)	227 (86.0)
20. Unable to turn on the light from the bed			2.305	0.129
- yes	4 (1.5)	57 (21.6)
- no	28 (10.6)	175 (66.3)
21. Slippery surface/uneven surface			4.967*	0.126
- yes	3 (1.1)	5 (1.9)
- no	29 (11.0)	226 (85.6)
- not applicable	0 (0.0)	1 (0.4)
22. Split-level floor			3.030*	0.222
- yes	9 (3.4)	59 (22.3)
- no	22 (8.3)	172 (65.2)
- not applicable	1 (0.4)	1 (0.4)
23. Not enough space for movement			5.310*	0.044
- yes	4 (1.5)	8 (3.0)
- no	28 (10.6)	224 (84.8)
24. Obstacles or wires on the walkway			0.032*	0.600
- yes	1 (0.4)	6 (2.3)
- no	31 (11.7)	226 (85.6)
25. Insecurely attached carpet to the floor			1.687*	0.274
- yes	2 (0.8)	34 (12.9)
- no	30 (11.4)	227 (86.0)
26. Cabinets are too low or too high.			1.827*	0.203
- yes	2 (0.8)	5 (1.9)
- no	30 (11.4)	227 (86.0)
Stairs
27. The lighting on the stairs is not appropriate for going up and down.			5.122*	0.075
- yes	3 (1.1)	4 (1.5)
- no	25 (9.5)	196 (74.2)
- not applicable	4 (1.5)	32 (12.1)
28. Obstacles or wires on the walkway			12.132*	0.003
- yes	3 (1.1)	0 (0.0)
- no	25 (9.5)	194 (73.5)
- not applicable	4 (1.5)	38 (14.4)
29. The steps are too steep.			3.112*	0.194
- yes	4 (1.5)	11 (4.2)
- no	24 (9.1)	183 (69.3)
- not applicable	4 (1.5)	38 (14.4)
30. The steps are uneven in height.			6.148*	0.037
- yes	6 (2.3)	13 (4.9)
- no	21 (8.0)	180 (68.2)
- not applicable	5 (1.9)	39 (14.8)
31. The stair steps are narrower than a foot’s sole.			1.348*	0.503
- yes	1 (0.4)	6 (2.3)
- no	24 (9.1)	190 (72.0)
- not applicable	7 (2.7)	36 (13.6)
32. No railing			1.908*	0.420
- yes	1 (0.4)	2 (0.8)
- no	25 (9.5)	188 (71.2)
- not applicable	6 (2.3)	42 (15.9)
33. The stairs and railings are in poor shape, or the handrails are uncomfortable			7.694*	0.020
- yes	3 (1.1)	2 (0.8)
- no	23 (8.7)	189 (71.6)
- not applicable	6 (2.3)	41 (15.5)
Parking garage
34. Insufficient lighting			6.563*	0.036
- yes	2 (0.8)	2 (0.8)
- no	29 (11.0)	200 (75.8)
- not applicable	1 (0.4)	30 (11.4)
35.Slippery surface			5.092*	0.072
- yes	1 (0.4)	1 (0.4)
- no	30 (11.4)	201 (76.1)
- not applicable	1 (0.4)	30 (11.4)
36. Split-level floor			4.693*	0.082
- yes	2 (0.8)	11 (4.2)
- no	30 (11.4)	195 (73.9)
- not applicable	0 (0.0)	26 (9.8)
37. Obstacles or wires on the walkway			6.955*	0.031
- yes	1 (0.4)	1 (0.4)
- no	31 (11.7)	205 (77.7)
- not applicable	0 (0.0)	26 (9.8)
38. Cabinets are too low or too high.			6.419*	0.036
- yes	3 (1.1)	3 (1.1)
- no	27 (10.2)	203 (76.9)
- not applicable	2 (0.8)	26 (9.8)
Area around the house
39. The walkway around the house is not in good condition.			3.866*	0.100
- yes	5 (1.9)	15 (5.7)
- no	26 (9.8)	212 (80.3)
- not applicable	1 (0.4)	5 (1.9)
40. The stair surface is slippery.			7.540*	0.023
- yes	3 (1.1)	2 (0.8)
- no	24 (9.1)	183 (69.3)
- not applicable	5 (1.9)	47 (17.8)
41. The steps are too steep.			5.117*	0.073
- yes	3 (1.1)	4 (1.5)
- no	23 (8.7)	177 (67.0)
- not applicable	6 (2.3)	51 (19.3)
42. The stair steps are narrower than a foot’s sole.			4.671*	0.132
- yes	1 (0.4)	0 (0.0)
- no	25 (9.5)	181 (68.6)
- not applicable	6 (2.3)	51 (19.3)
43. The stairs and railings are in poor shape, or the handrails are uncomfortable			2.855*	0.272
- yes	1 (0.4)	1 (0.4)
- no	25 (9.5)	180 (68.2)
- not applicable	6 (2.3)	51 (19.3)
44. In the case of using a wheelchair, the slope is inappropriate.			3.619*	0.169
- yes	1 (0.4)	4 (1.5)
- no	19 (7.2)	172 (65.2)
- not applicable	12 (4.5)	56 (21.2)

Note: *Fisher’s Exact Test.