Published online before print January 16, 2003, doi: 10.1161/01.STR.0000053444.00582.B7
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(Stroke. 2003;34:494.)
© 2003 American Heart Association, Inc.
Original Contributions |
Risk Factors for Falling in Home-Dwelling Older Women With Stroke
The Women’s Health and Aging Study
From the Coventry University/Warwick West Midlands Primary Care Network, Coventry, UK (S.E.L.); Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, INRCA Geriatric Department, Florence, Italy (L.F.); Sezione Di Medicina Interna, Unversitá Degli Studi Di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy (S.V.); The Johns Hopkins University Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Md (L.P.F.); and Epidemiology, Demography and Biometry Program, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, Md (J.M.G.).
Correspondence to Sarah Lamb, Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Health, School of Health and Social Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry, UK CV1 5FB. E-mail s.lamb{at}coventry.ac.uk
Background and Purpose— Much of our knowledge of risk factors for falls comes from studies of the general population. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of falling associated with commonly accepted and stroke-specific factors in a home-dwelling stroke population.
Methods— This study included an analysis of prospective fall reports in 124 women with confirmed stroke over 1 year. Variables relating to physical and mental health, history of falls, stroke symptoms, self-reported difficulties in activities of daily living, and physical performance tests were collected during home assessments.
Results— Risk factors for falling commonly reported in the general population, including performance tests of balance, incontinence, previous falls, and sedative/hypnotic medications, did not predict falls in multivariate analyses. Frequent balance problems while dressing were the strongest risk factor for falls (odds ratio, 7.0). Residual balance, dizziness, or spinning stroke symptoms were also a strong risk factor for falling (odds ratio, 5.2). Residual motor symptoms were not associated with an increased risk of falling.
Conclusions— Interventions to reduce the frequency of balance problems during complex tasks may play a significant role in reducing falls in stroke. Clinicians should be aware of the increased risk of falling in women with residual balance, dizziness, or spinning stroke symptoms and recognize that risk assessments developed for use in the general population may not be appropriate for stroke patients.
Editorial Comment
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  A. A. Divani, G. Vazquez, A. M. Barrett, M. Asadollahi, and A. R. Luft Risk Factors Associated With Injury Attributable to Falling Among Elderly Population With History of Stroke Stroke, October 1, 2009; 40(10): 3286 - 3292. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Beninato, L. G. Portney, and P. E. Sullivan Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as a Framework to Examine the Association Between Falls and Clinical Assessment Tools in People With Stroke Physical Therapy, August 1, 2009; 89(8): 816 - 825. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. S. Y. Au-Yeung, C. W. Y. Hui-Chan, and J. C. S. Tang Short-form Tai Chi Improves Standing Balance of People With Chronic Stroke Neurorehabil Neural Repair, June 1, 2009; 23(5): 515 - 522. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. Takatori, Y. Okada, K. Shomoto, and T. Shimada Does assessing error in perceiving postural limits by testing functional reach predict likelihood of falls in hospitalized stroke patients? Clinical Rehabilitation, June 1, 2009; 23(6): 568 - 575. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Czernuszenko and A. Czlonkowska Risk factors for falls in stroke patients during inpatient rehabilitation Clinical Rehabilitation, February 1, 2009; 23(2): 176 - 188. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. E. Lamb, C. McCabe, C. Becker, L. P. Fried, and J. M. Guralnik The Optimal Sequence and Selection of Screening Test Items to Predict Fall Risk in Older Disabled Women: The Women's Health and Aging Study J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., October 1, 2008; 63(10): 1082 - 1088. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. P. Yelnik, F. Le Breton, F. M. Colle, I. V. Bonan, C. Hugeron, V. Egal, E. Lebomin, J.-P. Regnaux, D. Perennou, and E. Vicaut Rehabilitation of Balance After Stroke With Multisensorial Training: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Study Neurorehabil Neural Repair, September 1, 2008; 22(5): 468 - 476. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Ashburn, D. Hyndman, R. Pickering, L. Yardley, and S. Harris Predicting people with stroke at risk of falls Age Ageing, May 1, 2008; 37(3): 270 - 276. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. J. Thurman, J. A. Stevens, and J. K. Rao Practice Parameter: Assessing patients in a neurology practice for risk of falls (an evidence-based review): Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology Neurology, February 5, 2008; 70(6): 473 - 479. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P.K. Myint, K.E.S. Poole, and E.A. Warburton Hip fractures after stroke and their prevention QJM, September 1, 2007; 100(9): 539 - 545. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. F. Tyson, M. Hanley, J. Chillala, A. B. Selley, and R. C. Tallis The Relationship Between Balance, Disability, and Recovery After Stroke: Predictive Validity of the Brunel Balance Assessment Neurorehabil Neural Repair, July 1, 2007; 21(4): 341 - 346. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. A. Zecevic, A. W. Salmoni, M. Speechley, and A. A. Vandervoort Defining a Fall and Reasons for Falling: Comparisons Among the Views of Seniors, Health Care Providers, and the Research Literature. Gerontologist, June 1, 2006; 46(3): 367 - 376. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. F Tyson, M. Hanley, J. Chillala, A. Selley, and R. C Tallis Balance Disability After Stroke Physical Therapy, January 1, 2006; 86(1): 30 - 38. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. E.S. Poole, E. A. Warburton, J. Reeve, Y. Sato, J. Iwamoto, T. Kanoko, and K. Satoh Risedronate therapy for prevention of hip fracture after stroke in elderly women Neurology, November 8, 2005; 65(9): 1513 - 1514. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Weinrich, M. Stuart, and T. Hoyer Rules for Rehabilitation: An Agenda for Research Neurorehabil Neural Repair, June 1, 2005; 19(2): 72 - 83. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S F. Mackintosh, K Hill, K J Dodd, P Goldie, and E Culham Falls and injury prevention should be part of every stroke rehabilitation plan Clinical Rehabilitation, April 1, 2005; 19(4): 441 - 451. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. E Harris, J. J Eng, D. S Marigold, C. D Tokuno, and C. L Louis Relationship of Balance and Mobility to Fall Incidence in People With Chronic Stroke Physical Therapy, February 1, 2005; 85(2): 150 - 158. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D Hyndman and A Ashburn "Stops walking when talking" as a predictor of falls in people with stroke living in the community J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, July 1, 2004; 75(7): 994 - 997. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S.E. Lamb, L. Ferrucci, S. Volapto, L.P. Fried, J.M. Guralnik, and Y. Gustafson Risk Factors for Falling in Home-Dwelling Older Women With Stroke: The Women's Health and Aging Study * Editorial Comment Stroke, February 1, 2003; 34(2): 494 - 501. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|