Journal article
High Prevalence of Falls, Fear of Falling, and Impaired Balance in Older Adults with Pain in the United States: Findings from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), Vol.62(10), pp.1844-1852
10/01/2014
DOI: 10.1111/jgs.13072
PMCID: PMC4206582
PMID: 25283473
Abstract
ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of clinically relevant falls-related outcomes according to pain status in older adults in the United States.
DesignCross-sectional analysis of the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study, a sample of Medicare enrollees aged 65 and older (response rate 71.0%).
SettingIn-person assessments were conducted in the home or residential care facility of the sampled study participant.
ParticipantsIndividuals aged 65 and older (n=7,601, representing 35.3 million Medicare beneficiaries).
MeasurementsParticipants were asked whether they had been bothered by pain and the location of pain, as well as questions about balance and coordination, fear of falling, and falls.
ResultsFifty-three percent of the participants reported bothersome pain. The prevalence of recurrent falls in the past year (2 falls) was 19.5% in participants with pain and 7.4% in those without (age- and sex-adjusted prevalence ratio (PR)=2.63, 95% confidence interval (CI)=2.28-3.05). The prevalence of fear of falling that limits activity was 18.0% in those with pain and 4.4% in those without (adjusted PR=3.98, 95% CI=3.24-4.87). Prevalence of balance and falls outcomes increased with number of pain sites. For example, prevalence of problems with balance and coordination that limited activity was 6.6% in participants with no pain, 11.6% in those with one site of pain, 17.7% in those with two sites, 25.0% in those with three sites, and 41.4% in those with four or more sites (P<.001 for trend). Associations were robust to adjustment for several potential confounders, including cognitive and physical performance.
ConclusionFalls-related outcomes were substantially more common in older adults with pain than in those without. Accordingly, pain management strategies should be developed and evaluated for falls prevention.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- High Prevalence of Falls, Fear of Falling, and Impaired Balance in Older Adults with Pain in the United States: Findings from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study
- Creators
- Kushang V. Patel - University of WashingtonElizabeth A. Phelan - University of WashingtonSuzanne G. Leveille - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterSarah E. Lamb - Nuffield Orthopaedic CentreCelestin Missikpode - University of IowaRobert B. Wallace - University of IowaJack M. Guralnik - University of Maryland, BaltimoreDennis C. Turk - Impact Technology Development
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), Vol.62(10), pp.1844-1852
- DOI
- 10.1111/jgs.13072
- PMID
- 25283473
- PMCID
- PMC4206582
- NLM abbreviation
- J Am Geriatr Soc
- ISSN
- 0002-8614
- eISSN
- 1532-5415
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- U01AG032947; U01 AG032947 / NIA NIH HHS; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA) U01AG032947 / NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/01/2014
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology; Injury Prevention Research Center; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984363663102771
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