Projects

Project Description

Description:

a. Background: The proportion of individuals aged 60 years and above, is growing rapidly in India, due to factors such as increased life expectancy and declining fertility rates. This increasing elderly population requires comprehensive health policies to provide happy and self-reliant lives. Amongst the serious morbidities affecting the elderly population, Fall is the second leading cause of unintentional injury. Fall is defined as “an unexpected event in which the participant comes to rest on the ground, floor or lower level. Mortality attributable to a fall in this age group is estimated to be 684,000 annual deaths world-wide, 80% of which are in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).

b. Falls in elderly are multifactorial with several extrinsic and intrinsic factors that play a major role in its causation.. Few of the known factors include age-related physiological changes (impaired balance, reduced muscle strength, cognitive decline, chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, arthritis); use of FRIDs (Fall Risk Increasing Drugs), and sensory impairments such as poor vision or hearing. Various studies conducted in India have reported a high incidence of falls among the elderly population. These injuries can have serious and wide-ranging consequences, affecting their physical, psychological, and social well-being, which in turn adversely affects their quality of life.

c. In India, while several studies have explored either the risk factors or the consequences of falls among the elderly, there is a lack of studies that have included both of these aspects in a single study. An integrated approach to document both intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors causing a fall injury, along with the physical, psychological, and social consequences of these falls, is essential to develop effective prevention and rehabilitation strategies.