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Background <p>Falls are one of the leading causes of injury-related morbidity and mortality among older adults worldwide, with over 680,000 fatalities annually. In Georgia, falls are the second leading cause of unintentional-injury related mortality and account for more than half of injury-related hospitalizations. In 2018, a total of 25,103 patients were hospitalized due to injuries in Georgia, and more than half of these cases were fall-related. The mechanisms and risk factors associated with falls are complex. In our study we aimed to identify the key risk factors for falls among community-dwelling Georgian adults aged 65 and older.</p> Methods <p>This cross-sectional study included community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older, who visited primary care services in Tbilisi, Georgia, between September 1, 2022, and February 14, 2023. The study employed a two-stage sampling approach. Initially, primary care (PC) services were randomly selected. Subsequently, within the selected PC services, eligible patients were recruited using a convenience sampling method. A structured questionnaire was administered by trained operators. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS v23. Pearson Chi-Square tests were used to assess associations between categorical variables, and binary logistic regression was performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).</p> Results <p>The study included 1000 participants (Female = 500). Over one-third had fallen at least once in the past 12 months. Females were more likely to report falls (<i>p</i> = 0.01). Participants with neurological diseases had a higher likelihood of falls requiring medical care (OR: 1.39, 95% CI 1.03–1.90). Those with depression, arthritis, imbalance, and muscle weakness were 1.4, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, and 1.6 times more likely to report a fall. Participants whose homes were crowded with furniture and had carpets were 1.52 (95% CI 1.05–2.34) and 1.43 (95% CI 1.06–1.94) times more likely to fall.</p> Conclusion <p>Our study found that the frequency of falls among older adults of Tbilisi, Georgia aligns with global estimates. Our findings show that being a woman, having medical comorbidities, and exposure to hazardous home environments are associated with a higher risk of experiencing falls, emphasizing the multidimensional nature of the fall risk-factors. Interventions should be targeted on different dimensions that tackle older adults’ frailty and environmental risk factors in their homes.</p>

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Prevalence of falls and associated risk-factors among Georgian older adults

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月7日

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  • N. Pitskhelauri,
  • M. Kareli,
  • T. Dochviri,
  • N. Chikhladze,
  • C. Hamann,
  • D. Dulf

摘要

Background

Falls are one of the leading causes of injury-related morbidity and mortality among older adults worldwide, with over 680,000 fatalities annually. In Georgia, falls are the second leading cause of unintentional-injury related mortality and account for more than half of injury-related hospitalizations. In 2018, a total of 25,103 patients were hospitalized due to injuries in Georgia, and more than half of these cases were fall-related. The mechanisms and risk factors associated with falls are complex. In our study we aimed to identify the key risk factors for falls among community-dwelling Georgian adults aged 65 and older.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older, who visited primary care services in Tbilisi, Georgia, between September 1, 2022, and February 14, 2023. The study employed a two-stage sampling approach. Initially, primary care (PC) services were randomly selected. Subsequently, within the selected PC services, eligible patients were recruited using a convenience sampling method. A structured questionnaire was administered by trained operators. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS v23. Pearson Chi-Square tests were used to assess associations between categorical variables, and binary logistic regression was performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

The study included 1000 participants (Female = 500). Over one-third had fallen at least once in the past 12 months. Females were more likely to report falls (p = 0.01). Participants with neurological diseases had a higher likelihood of falls requiring medical care (OR: 1.39, 95% CI 1.03–1.90). Those with depression, arthritis, imbalance, and muscle weakness were 1.4, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, and 1.6 times more likely to report a fall. Participants whose homes were crowded with furniture and had carpets were 1.52 (95% CI 1.05–2.34) and 1.43 (95% CI 1.06–1.94) times more likely to fall.

Conclusion

Our study found that the frequency of falls among older adults of Tbilisi, Georgia aligns with global estimates. Our findings show that being a woman, having medical comorbidities, and exposure to hazardous home environments are associated with a higher risk of experiencing falls, emphasizing the multidimensional nature of the fall risk-factors. Interventions should be targeted on different dimensions that tackle older adults’ frailty and environmental risk factors in their homes.