A case control study of falling incidents among the hospitalized elderly

Falling incidents among the hospitalized elderly were investigated using a case/control methodology to identify high-risk individuals. The medical records of all patients who had a reported fall (N = 173) in 1978 in one geriatric facility were compared with the records of a random sample of patients without a reported fall (N = 339). The significant risk factors were male sex, urinary incontinence within 48 hours prior to the fall, and psychoactive medication 12 hours prior to the fall. It was concluded that some patients may have a greater tendency to fall than others and suggestions for exploring future means of prevention are presented.