This study was done to identify body areas where fractures occurred and factors associated with falls in elderly patents who are hospitalized. It was done to provide basic data for future fall prevention programs for elderly people. The participants were 88 elders, 60 years or older, admitted to a university hospital for fractures from a fall during the period from September 1, 2002 to August 31, 2003. Data were collected based on their medical records.
The results are as follows: The age range of the elders was from 60 to 97 years of age, with most being between 70-79 (35.2%), 80.7% were women, 19.3%, men, and 60.2% had regular medication, while 39.8% had no medication. Falls occurred most frequently in winter (28.4%) and most frequently between 6 am and noon. Most falls occurred in the house (34.1%).
The percentage of fractures in the upper extremities was 15.9% and in the lower extremities, 64.8%. Radial-ulnar fractures (10.3%) were most frequent when the fracture occurred in the upper extremities and femur fractures (51.1%) when the fracture occurred in the lower extremities. There were significant differences in the occurrence of falls according to medication, visual disturbance, hearing disturbance, and in the situation at the time of the fall according to age. No significant differences were found in the location of the fracture according to age, sex, medication, season, time, or place where fall occurred.
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