risk factors. Each factor is supported in the literature and by recent meta-analyses [46, 49,

51, 52, 66, 68-71, 77].

Table 2-1. Multifactorial risk factors for falls


Risk Factor


 Disease & Disability
Stroke
Parkinson's Disease
Cardiovascular function/
disease/blood pressure issues
Arthritis
Neuromuscular disease
Depression
 Mobility Impairments
Previous falls
Balance and gait deficit
Decreased gait speed/gait
impairments/mobility impairments
Foot problems
Decreased strength
 Other
Environmental factors
Fear of falling
Medications and polypharmacy
Cognition
Vision and hearing
ADL participation
Use of assistive device
Female gender
Age
Urinary incontinence


Sunoortin2 Evidence


[52, 78-86]
[49, 61, 77, 87-89]
[49, 66, 77, 90, 91]

[49, 52, 77, 92-94]
[49, 77]
[49, 52, 66, 77]

[52, 56, 95, 96]
[46, 52, 66, 97-100]
[42-46, 66, 69, 78, 90, 95, 97, 101]

[46]
[46, 52, 61, 66, 71, 74, 90, 95, 97, 99, 102-109]

[46, 66, 110, 111]
[96, 112-115]
[46, 66, 90, 116, 117]
[46, 52, 66, 90, 118-122]
[48, 52, 66, 90, 97, 123]
[52, 66, 90, 107, 124]
[52]
[46, 100, 125-130]
[46, 74, 126, 131-133]
[66, 69, 74, 134, 135]


Number of risk factors

 The risk of falling is exacerbated when the actual number of existing risk factors is

increased [46, 70]. Tinetti and colleagues completed a community based study examining

those with and without fall risk factors [46]. At one year, 27% of individuals with one or

no risk factors fell compared to 78% of those with four or more factors. Nevitt and

colleagues indicated falls increased from 10% to 69% as the number of risk factors

increased from one to four or more [61]. Robbins et al. compared one-year fall rates for


I