Risk factors related to falling among the home-dwelling elderly in Taiwan: a systematic review.

The purpose of this article was to review the risk factors related to falling among the homedwelling elderly in Taiwan. The literature search included seven medical databases in either Chinese or English, including the Periopath index to Taiwan's periodic literature. Thirty studies that met the inclusion criteria for this study were reviewed. The results showed the risk factors related to falling included: (1) Biological factors: poor self-reported health, multiple signs and symptoms of disease, a number of diseases, poor physical function, unstable of gait, poor balance, stool or urinary incontinence, dysfunction in ADLs or IADLs, higher waistline, lower albumin, depression, fear of falling, and a history of falling. (2) Behavioral factors: lack of knowledge about ways to prevent falling and taking multiple medications. (3) Environmental factors: poor supportive environment, poor location of bedrooms and the safety of bedroom bathrooms and stairs, accumulation of debris, smooth ground, and dim lighting. Only a few studies found that social and economic factors, including marital status, level of education, and living alone were significantly associated with falling. The results may serve a reference for preventing falling among the home-dwelling elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]