A longitudinal study of fall correlates of middle-aged and elderly people from three communities in southern Taiwan

• Main Authors: YU-TING HSIA, 夏語婷
• Other Authors: JONG-LONG GUO
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/67399516830379268536

碩士 === 國立臺灣師範大學 === 健康促進與衛生教育學系 === 97 === Falls among the elderly would lead to many physical, mental and social-cost problems. The aging speed of Taiwan's population structure and the fall prevalence of elderly are increasing with the rising years, so that the fall prevention is an urgent need for the elderly. The aim of this study was to investigate the trends between the fall correlates and falls among middle-aged and elderly people by longitudinal perspective, and to figure out the relationships between the fall correlates and the incidence of falls at each time point during the study. 129 middle-aged and elderly people from three communities in southern Taiwan were selected to participate in the fall prevention program. Data for analysis were collected during the 30 months before and after the intervention. The results showed that the fall prevetion program has improved the trends of the fall correlates while maintained the fall incidences with the increasing time. Overall, the marital status has influenced the knowledge, self-efficacy, and behaviors of fall prevention while the assistive devices affected the balance and gait. The fall correlates at each time point have encompassed the knowledge and behaviors of fall prevention, muscle strength of lower limbs, timed chair rise and 20-meters walking. The fall prevention program could provide a well delay effect in fall correlates and falls for community-dwelling elderly. In the forthcoming future, designing the politics of elderly welfare and popularizing the health promotion programs should consider individual characteristics; especially, designing the intervention of fall prevention should aim to improve the knowledge and behaviors of fall prevention, muscle strength of lower limbs, balance, and gait.