CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND RISK OF FALL INJURY EVENTS AT HOME IN OLDER ADULTS

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between selected chronic medica l conditions (CMCs) and fall injury events at home among community-dwe lling older persons. DESIGN: Population-based case-control study. SETT ING: The general community. PARTICIPANTS: Persons aged 65 and older li ving at home, excluding those using a wheelchair; 467 cases and 691 co ntrol subjects were studied. MEASUREMENTS: The main independent variab les were self-reported histories of 10 CMCs: diabetes, high blood pres sure, anemia, heart attack, Parkinson's disease, stroke, emphysema, ca ncer (other than skin), cataracts, and glaucoma. RESULTS: The final mu ltivariate model included variables for age, sex, body mass, dependenc y in activities of daily living, current exercise (three or more times per week), mental status scores, and three CMCs. Persons with a histo ry of stroke or anemia had an increased risk of a fall injury event: f or stroke the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) equalled 1.7 (95% confidence i nterval (CI), 1.0-3.0); for anemia the aOR equalled 1.5 (95% CI, 1.0-2 .2). Those with a history of high blood pressure had decreased risk (a OR =.7, 95% CI 0.5-0.9). CONCLUSIONS: Persons 65 and older with a self -reported history of anemia or stroke are at increased risk of a fall injury event in the home, whereas those with a self-reported history o f high blood pressure are at decreased risk.