Fall-Related Physiological and Physical Risk Factors of Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The risk of falling in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) could be higher than their cognitively intact peers in the presence of both physiological and physical factors. This study aimed to compare the physiological and physical fall risks of older adults with MCI to those with normal cognition. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited community-dwelling older adults from Manila, Philippines. The Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA) was used to examine physiological fall risk. The Timed-Up and Go Test (TUGT) and the 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT) were used to evaluate physical fall risk in terms of dynamic balance and gait speed (preferred mode and fastest mode), respectively. Independent samples t-test and chi-square were used to compare data for continuous and categorical variables, separately. Results: One hundred eighty-eight older adults with MCI and 42 with normal cognition participated. With age as a confounding factor, those with MCI have statistically significant poorer PPA scores (p