Risk of falls and social determinants in the elderly living in a rural community

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the risk of falls and to identify the social determinants associated with them in the elderly living in a rural community. Methodology: Quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study, performed in a probabilistic sample, randomly selected, with an estimated frequency of 50% and with an acceptable margin of error of 5% and a confidence level of 95%. Study carried out at the Primary Health Care level, in a Personalized Health Care Unit, of the Northern Region of Portugal. The randomly selected sample consisted of 321 people over the age of 65, with a mean age of 76.11 ± 6.79, living in the community, of whom 175 (54.5%) were female and 146 (45.5%) were male. Data collection was done through the straightforward filling out of an evaluation protocol, using the Morse scale. Results: The Morse scale allowed us to verify that 33.0% of the sample presented a low risk of falling and 7.2% a high risk. The risk of falls was associated with age, sex, the fact that the elderly lives with other relatives, the unmarried, those with the lowest incomes and those who receive support. Conclusion: Social determinants have an impact on the risk of falls and should be considered in fall prevention programs.