Falling in the Elderly Trauma Patients: Related Factors and Prevention

Background: Falling is one of the most important causes of mortality and morbidity in the elderly. Limited knowledge of the causes of falling in elderly people limits the effectiveness of preventive interventions. Therefore, knowing about falling factors can provide effective prevention strategies.Objectives: To review studies related to the related factors in the falling in elderly trauma patients and preventive interventions.Materials & Methods: In this literature review, the databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google scholar were searched. 38 Studies that had inclusion criteria (2000 to 2018, related to the subject of study, and English and Persian language) were selected.Results: The findings showed that the factors associated with falling in the elderly are divided into two groups of individual and environmental factors. Individual factors include demographic some characteristics (female and white race), systemic (balance and gait disorders, visual and cognitive problems), and diseases (cardiovascular diseases, depression, dementia, vertigo). The environmental factors (Polypharmacy, the location of life, living alone) cause fall and trauma. In the field of prevention methods, literature review showed that intervention programs in several stages, including regular exercise, improving balance and gait, modification of living environment, not using multiple medications at once, treatment of cognitive and functional impairments, control and treatment of age-related diseases are the most effective ways to prevent falling.Conclusion: Regarding the highest rate of traumatic complications in the elderly, monitoring and planning for their health, by identifying the factors and preventing it by the health care providers and families seem essential.