PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF FALLS AMONG ELDERLY POPULATION: A STUDY OF URBAN VARANASI, INDIA

There has been a sharp increase in elderly population (60 years and above) over the years. It is projected to rise to approximately 140 million by 2021. Falls are a major cause of unintentional injury and low quality of life during old age. Falls also restrict mobility and associated morbidities with fall often lead to social isolation and psychological problems. Falling can lead to longstanding pain, disability and sometimes premature death. Present study is based on a cross sectional study with sample size of 104 elderly aged 60 years and above from urban area of Varanasi district. Multistage random sampling technique is used in the study. Semi-structured interview schedule has been administered. Result based on empirical data indicates that 36.5 percent have experienced fall during old age and they suffer from fracture, pain, injury and fear of falling. Age and gender are significantly associated with falls among the elderly. It is apparent that with increasing age, risk of fall increases and gender differences play important role regarding risk and consequences of falls during old age. Therefore multidimensional strategies should be adopted to reduce the risk of falling and enhance the quality of life in old age.