Prevalence and Risk Factors for Fall among Rural Elderly: A County-Based Cross-Sectional Survey

AIM: The aim of the study was to provide evidence for the prevention and reduction of falls in the elderly living in rural areas by analyzing epidemiological data of falls among the rural older people (>65 years old) and identifying the risk and protective factors. METHODS: This study analyzed the sociodemographic characteristics, living environment, lifestyle, chronic disease condition, mental health, activities of daily living (ADL), and detailed information of falls of 3752 rural elderly. Rank tests, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of falls was 30.0%, and the 75–84-years age group had the highest fall rate (18.8%). According to the binary logistic regression analysis, six variables, including roughage intake frequency, age, gender, cane use, floor tiles, and IADL, were involved in the fall patterns. Low roughage intake (OR = 2.48, 95% CI 1.24–4.97), female gender (OR = 2.12, 95% CI 1.48–3.05), the use of a cane (OR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.08–4.10), and medium IADL (OR = 2.02, 95% CI 1.89–2.32) were the top four risk factors. CONCLUSION: The fall in the rural elderly was mainly due to the poor living and working conditions. Routine fall assessment could address several preventable risk factors to reduce the prevalence and mitigate the harm of falls.