{"title":"Risk Factors for Falls in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: An Umbrella Review","authors":"Stephanie Saunders MScPT, Cassandra D'Amore PhD, Quikui Hao MD, Nabil Abd El-Moneim MScPT, Julie Richardson PhD, PT, Ayse Kuspinar PhD, PT, Marla Beauchamp PhD, PT","doi":"10.1016/j.jamda.2025.105765","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Falls are a key public health concern, resulting in disability and increased mortality risk. An extensive body of literature has examined risk factors for falls; however, results vary across different studies and populations. We aimed to synthesize systematic reviews of fall risk factors in community-dwelling older adults.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>A systematic review of systematic reviews. Searches were executed in 6 databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsychINFO, and AgeLine) from inception until June 13, 2023.</div></div><div><h3>Setting and Participants</h3><div>Eligible studies included systematic reviews of prospective cohort studies that included a population of community-dwelling older adults (≥60 years of age) and reported fall risk factors.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Three reviewers screened 8173 records. Summary data were extracted, and the units of analyses were the relationships between risk factors and falls. Descriptive results are reported in counts and frequencies.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Fifty-seven reviews were included examining 29 risk factors. Mobility-related measures (balance, gait, physical function, physical activity, dual task ability, strength, and range of motion) accounted for 40% of all relationships. Clinical tests of balance and physical function, cognition, specifically executive function (76% significant) and processing speed (100%), medications (58%), frailty (100%), and chronic conditions (83%) were all consistent predictors of falls. There was a paucity of evidence for psychosocial, environmental, and sociodemographic factors. Most reviews (54%) were rated as low risk of bias.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions and Implications</h3><div>Mobility-related risk factors for falls are well established and can be addressed through interventions. Findings highlight the limited examination of psychosocial, sociodemographic, and environmental risk factors for falls, indicating areas for future research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17180,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Medical Directors Association","volume":"26 9","pages":"Article 105765"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of the American Medical Directors Association","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1525861025002828","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives
Falls are a key public health concern, resulting in disability and increased mortality risk. An extensive body of literature has examined risk factors for falls; however, results vary across different studies and populations. We aimed to synthesize systematic reviews of fall risk factors in community-dwelling older adults.
Design
A systematic review of systematic reviews. Searches were executed in 6 databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsychINFO, and AgeLine) from inception until June 13, 2023.
Setting and Participants
Eligible studies included systematic reviews of prospective cohort studies that included a population of community-dwelling older adults (≥60 years of age) and reported fall risk factors.
Methods
Three reviewers screened 8173 records. Summary data were extracted, and the units of analyses were the relationships between risk factors and falls. Descriptive results are reported in counts and frequencies.
Results
Fifty-seven reviews were included examining 29 risk factors. Mobility-related measures (balance, gait, physical function, physical activity, dual task ability, strength, and range of motion) accounted for 40% of all relationships. Clinical tests of balance and physical function, cognition, specifically executive function (76% significant) and processing speed (100%), medications (58%), frailty (100%), and chronic conditions (83%) were all consistent predictors of falls. There was a paucity of evidence for psychosocial, environmental, and sociodemographic factors. Most reviews (54%) were rated as low risk of bias.
Conclusions and Implications
Mobility-related risk factors for falls are well established and can be addressed through interventions. Findings highlight the limited examination of psychosocial, sociodemographic, and environmental risk factors for falls, indicating areas for future research.
期刊介绍:
JAMDA, the official journal of AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, is a leading peer-reviewed publication that offers practical information and research geared towards healthcare professionals in the post-acute and long-term care fields. It is also a valuable resource for policy-makers, organizational leaders, educators, and advocates.
The journal provides essential information for various healthcare professionals such as medical directors, attending physicians, nurses, consultant pharmacists, geriatric psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical and occupational therapists, social workers, and others involved in providing, overseeing, and promoting quality