Relationship and Characteristics of Falling at Temples among the Elderly Group in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
Horpibulsuk, J.; Chinkulkijniwat, A.; Panichpisal, K.; Burk, K.
Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand 99(Suppl 7): S1-S7
2016
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-2208 PMID: 29901324 Document Number: 17500
Falls and their consequences are serious health problems among the elderly. In Thailand, temples are where To study characteristics of falls (falls, near falls, and fall-related injuries) and severity of falls among the elderly in A cross-sectional analytic study. Subject is elderly population group (aged 60 and above) in the Total 742 subjects aged adult were screened through questionnaires. A number of 451 persons were reported to have fallen in temples, which was 60.8% of the population, whereas 76.1% of the population was said to have fallen or nearly fell. Most of the subjects have fallen only once in the past year by tripping (55%) and slipping (28.7%). Most of the falls occur outdoors (48.0%) rather than indoors (30.4%) and in the bathroom (21.6%). Some adults do not have any fall-related injuries (33.5%), though most of them experience muscle pain (27.3%). The rate of fractures among the elderly was 7.1%. A total of 117 subjects required hospitalization (25.9%). Upon being discharged from the hospital, 24.8% of the subjects were The number of near falls and falls among Thai older adults in temples are quite high and very concerning. Such numbers are alarming and indicate that the elderly attending services and activities in temples require appropriate facilities and close attention from accompanying and surrounding persons. This study presented fundamental yet beneficial information which is useful for the architectural, engineering, and public health development for the elderly.