Institutional long-term care is an integrated part of primary health care. People qualifying to enter a long-term care facility must exhibit a high degree of dependency, caused either by physical or/and mental impairment. It must be obvious that the problem cannot be dealt with in the community. The type of the residents in institutions largely depends on the ability to provide proper services to elderly living in the community. This also implies that fall-related risk factors may vary. Residents living permanently in a long-term care facility (n = 118) were observed during a 6-month period with respect to fall episodes. Prior to the study, gender, age, mental capacity, mobility, the ability to go to the toilet, to eat, and to communicate, and all drugs prescribed on a regular schedule were recorded. Subsequently the various elements were compared for fallers and non-fallers. There were 49 fallers. There was no difference between the two groups regarding gender, age, or drug use. Mental impairment and restricted mobility were independently associated with increased risk of falling (odds ratios 3.4 and 4.8, respectively). Falling was also associated with the degree of mental impairment (linear trend p = 0.01). A stratified Mantel-Haenszel test showed a significantly higher tendency to fall among residents using antipsychotics. Residents with restricted mobility using anxiolytics/hypnotics or antidepressants had a lower tendency to fall than non-users. They were also less prone to fall repeatedly. Anxiety and depressive states may possibly contribute to falling. Negative associations between falling and drug use are commonly studied. Possible beneficial effects are by and large disregarded.

Keywords:
Falls, Long-term care facilities, falls, Psychotropic drugs
This content is only available via PDF.
1997
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.