Risk factors for falls in older adults with a history of recurrent falls: a 1-year longitudinal study

Introduction: Older adults with a history of recurrent falls present distinct characteristics that may influence future fall events. Identifying which factors are associated with subsequent falls is essential for targeted prevention.

Objective: To describe fall outcomes over 12 months among older adults with a history of recurrent falls and to identify factors associated with the occurrence of falls during this period.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted with 49 community-dwelling older adults (≥60 years) with a history of at least two falls in the previous year. Data included clinical and sociodemographic characteristics at baseline. Falls were monitored monthly over 12 months to determine whether participants experienced any fall during follow-up.

Results: Over the 12-month period, 33 participants (67.3%) experienced at least one fall. Sex, number of medications, use of psychotropic drugs, and fear of falling were factors associated with having fallen during follow-up .According to the regression analysis, the strongest influences were being male (p=0,008) followed by using psychotropic medications (p=<0,001), greater concern about falling(p=0,006), and number of medications (p=0,008).

Conclusion: In older adults with a history of recurrent falls, the likelihood of experiencing a fall over 12 months is associated with sex, number of medications, use of psychotropic drugs, and fear of falling. These findings emphasize the importance of evaluating both clinical and psychological factors to inform fall-prevention strategies. FAPESP (2024/10699-6), CNPq (408323/2024-8), CAPES (001).