PREDISPOSING FACTORS FOR FALLS AMONG ELDERLY PEOPLE

Abstract

This cross-sectional study falls and their consequences are serious health problems among older populations. To study predisposing factors for falls among older people in six social groups for elderly in Erechim, RS, and their influence over these people’s lives, we used a cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of 104 elderly people, 76.92% women and 23.07%, men. The results showed that 63.46% had already fallen down and 36.53% had already suffered fractures. They informed that they take care to prevent falls, wearing certain shoes, walking attentively and avoiding slippering surfaces. They also informed that during the period they were injured because of the fractures they felt depressed and sad because they could not perform daily activities and they could not have the self-care. They believed the causes of the falls might be related to deficient alimentation and lack of exercising. We concluded that most of the participants have coherent information and a good self-care, which diminish predisposing factors for falls. However, we believe it is necessary to promote an educative intervention in these social groups, to enlarge they knowledge, to avoid falls and promote a healthy life.