Fall characteristics among elderly populations in urban and rural areas in Korea

BackgroundFalling is one of the leading causes of injury among elderly populations. As the population over 65 years old increases, medical costs due to falling will also increase. Urban and rural areas have different fall characteristics, and research into these differences is lacking.MethodsA survey was conducted on 2,012 people over 60 years old between September 1, 2015 to October 12, 2015. Guro-gu (Seoul), Yeongdeungpo-gu (Seoul), and Jung-gu (Daegu) were classified as urban areas and included 1,205 of the study participants. Dalseong-gun (Daegu) and Yangpyeong-gun (Gyeonggi-do) were categorized as rural areas and included 807 participants. Several region characteristics, including population density, were considered to distinguish between urban and rural areas. The survey included questions about fall history, cause, season and time of recent falls, and external conditions associated with recent falls, like floor or ground material and shoe types.ResultsRural respondents were older than urban respondents (pConclusionsA fall-prevention program that reflects the characteristics and differences of falls in urban and rural areas should be developed and used to effectively prevent falling among elderly people.