Circumstances of falls in the elderly in Taiwan 2005: A comparison with the 1999 Survey

Objectives: Our aim was to compare the 2005 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) with the 1999 Taiwan longitudinal Study on Ageing (TLSA) in terms of the characteristics of falls. Material and methods: This is a descriptive study using two data sets, including the elderly participants of the 2005 NHIS (N = 2,724) and the 1999 TLSA (N = 2,890), in Taiwan. Across twice national surveys, we made a comparison on the prevalence and circumstances (weather, time, place and on-going activities) of falls, and type, anatomical parts of body involved, medical care utilized, self-reported underlying causes, and consequences of injurious falls. Results: The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of falls increased from 18.7% in 1999 to 20.5% in 2005, but the proportion of injurious falls decreased from 37.9% to 27.3%. At the same time, the proportion of falls decreased at home but increased out of home. Of falls/injurious falls reported, about one half were attributed to individual factors, and two-fifths were resulted from environmental factors. Of the fallers, the proportion, reporting to have been afraid of falling again and/or hence have reduced activities, decreased during twice surveys. Conclusions: The observed increase of prevalence of falls, with a simultaneous drop of the proportion of injurious falls, in the elderly in Taiwan is worth further study on its association with social and/or epidemiological transition during 1999-2005.