A new look at falls in the elderly: proposal for environmental diagnosis and prevention

Abstract

Introduction: The occurrence of falls in older people is considered a public health problem, causing harm to health, but that can be prevented by maintaining a safe environment. Objective: To identify conditions related to the occurrence of falls and home environment safety of elderly people living in the rural area of a municipality in the interior of the state of RN. Methodology: An action-research was performed with one of the diagnostic steps made from an analytical and observational study. The study was conducted with community health workers (CHA) and the elderly. Training was carried out with the CHA to recognize and identify the environmental risks of falls in the households of the elderly. For data collection, we used the environmental assessment questionnaire and falls from the Health Booklet of the Elderly. Results: A total of 288 older adults participated in the study, of whom 24.7% reported having suffered a fall, and of these, 23.9% had a bone fracture. 47.9% of falls occurred inside the home, of which 42.2% occurred in the bathroom. Most of the safety items were not adequate. 53.5% reported impediment in the areas of locomotion, 55.6% had no uniform floors and fixed carpets, only 27.1% had non-slip carpet in the shower area, 14.6% said they had stairs in the home, However, none had a handrail on both sides and firm and/or non-slip floor. Statistically significant differences were found between the occurrence of falls and the absence of uniform floors and well fixed carpets (p<0.001), accessible switches at the entrances of rooms (p<0.001), shower area with anti-skid (p=0.026) and low cabinets without the use of stairs (p<0.001). Conclusions: Most elderly people live in an environment that favors the occurrence of falls. The need for actions to prevent falls and home safety is emphasized, given their implications for the quality of life of these people.