Hypertension, diabetes, and falls in institutionalized older adults

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Thaiza Teixeira Xavier Nobre

Federal University, Brazil

: J Aging Geriatr Med

Abstract

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Falls and chronic conditions are often noticed in older adults that live in Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCF), and they are important public health problems. This study aimed to analyze the association between hypertension, diabetes and falls in older adults living in LTCF. This is a crosssectional study carried out in eight philanthropic LTCFs in the metropolitan area of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Data were collected between February and December 2018 using the medical records and the Older Adults Health Handbook. The participants were individuals aged 60 years or older who were present in the LTCF at the time of data collection. Pearson’s Chi-square and Fisher tests and odds ratio were used for the analysis. Among the 224 participants, 74.1% suffered falls in the past five years. The results showed an association between falls and younger age (60 to 79 years) (p=0.034), hypertension (p=0.002), and diabetes (p=0.006). When these conditions occurred simultaneously, they were associated with falls (p <0.001).The younger age (60 to 79 years) was identified as a risk factor for falls (OR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.05-3.60), and do not have hypertension (OR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.21-0.72) and diabetes (OR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.15-0.75), as protective factors. Falls were associated with hypertension and diabetes in older adults living in LTCFs, and do not have these conditions were identified as protective factors for falls. Some medications use to hypertension and diabetes control can contribute to falls. It is necessary to include these conditions and medications in the LTCF’s falls assessment.

Biography

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Thaiza Teixeira Xavier Nobre has completed her Ph.D. in Health Sciences at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, and postdoctoral studies at the University of Evora, Portugal. She is the coordinator of the Professional Master's Degree in Quality Management in Health Services. She has published more than 25 papers in reputed journals.