Burden and Consequence of Fall among India elderly : Evidence from longitudinal Ageing Study in India

Itishree Nayak, Devinsight Pvt. Ltd. India
Basant Kumar Panda, Population Council Consulting

Falls and fractures are common and serious preventable problems encountered by elderly population throughout the world and are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. However, the reason and consequence of fall among elderly are sparse. India, with second largest populous country across the globe, has a growing elderly population that have implication for this problem. This paper provides the basis for understanding the prevalence and factors affecting fall among Indian elderly using longitudinal ageing study in India. At national level around a quarter of elderly (23%) had fallen in last year’s highest in Odisha and lowest in north-east region. Among the elderly who fall, about half of them faced fall multiple times. The elderly with vision and hearing problems and depression were found to be majorly affected by fall. Among those who fall, 30% also faced serious Injury and bone or joint fracture. The study suggests the home-environment should be safe for the elderly, that can reduce the fall burden and painful consequences. Elder care specialists can assess the risk of fall and subsequent fractures using simple but well validated tools. Government policy should focus on other enabling causes that can reduce the fall.

Keywords: Older Adults and Intergenerational Relations, Population Ageing, Longitudinal studies , Population Policies

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