Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 89, Issue 6 , Pages 1031-1037 , June 2008

Injurious Falls Among Middle Aged and Older Adults With Multiple Sclerosis

Presented to the Gerontological Society of America, November 17, 2006, Dallas, TX.

  • Elizabeth W. Peterson, MPH, OTR/L

      Affiliations

    • Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL
    • Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society, Division of Occupational Therapy, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests to Elizabeth W. Peterson, MPH, OTR/L, Dept of Occupational Therapy, University of Illinois, Mail Code 811, 1919 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60612-7250
    • ,
  • Chi C. Cho, MS

      Affiliations

    • Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL
    • ,
  • Lena von Koch, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society, Division of Occupational Therapy, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
    • ,
  • Marcia L. Finlayson, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL

References 

  1. Kannus P, Niemi S, Palvanen M, Parkkari J, Jarvinen M. Secular trends in rates of unintentional injury deaths among adult Finns. Injury. 2005;36:1273–1276
  2. Gill TM, Allore H, Holford TR, Guo Z. Hospitalization, restricted activity, and the development of disability among older persons. JAMA. 2004;292:2115–2124
  3. Paulozzi LJ, Ballesteros MF, Stevens JA. Recent trends in mortality from unintentional injury in the United States. J Safety Res. 2006;37:277–283
  4. Vyrostek SB, Annest JL, Ryan GW. Surveillance for fatal and nonfatal injuries—United States, 2001. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2004;53(7):1–57
  5. Mitra M, Cameron PA, Gabbe BJ. Ladders revisited. Med J Aust. 2007;186:31–34
  6. Layne LA, Pollack KM. Nonfatal occupational injuries from slips, trips, and falls among older workers treated in hospital emergency departments, United States, 1998. Am J Ind Med. 2004;46:32–41
  7. Rubenstein LZ. Falls in older people: epidemiology, risk factors and strategies for prevention. Age Ageing. 2006;35(Suppl 2):ii37–ii41
  8. Oakley A, Dawson MF, Holland J, et al. Preventing falls and subsequent injury in older people. Qual Health Care. 1996;5:243–249
  9. van Weel C, Vermeulen H, van den Bosch W. Falls, a community care perspective. Lancet. 1995;345:1549–1551
  10. Tinetti ME, Speechley M, Ginter SF. Risk factors for falls among elderly persons living in the community. N Engl J Med. 1988;319:1701–1707
  11. Hausdorff JM, Rios DA, Edelberg HK. Gait variability and fall risk in community-living older adults: a 1-year prospective study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2001;82:1050–1056
  12. Bergland A, Wyller TB. Risk factors for serious fall related injury in elderly women living at home. Inj Prev. 2004;10:308–313
  13. Hornbrook MC, Stevens VJ, Wingfield DJ, Hollis JF, Greenlick MR, Ory MG. Preventing falls among community-dwelling older persons: results from a randomized trial. Gerontologist. 1994;34:16–23
  14. Cattaneo D, De Nuzzo C, Fascia T, Macalli M, Pisoni I, Cardini R. Risks of falls in subjects with multiple sclerosis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2002;83:864–867
  15. Finlayson ML, Peterson EW, Cho C. Risk factors for falling among people aged 45 to 90 with MS. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2006;87:1274–1279
  16. National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Epidemiology of multiple sclerosis. http://www.nmss.orgAccessed February 12, 2007
  17. Lau KK, Wong LK, Li LS, Chan YW, Li HL, Wong V. Epidemiological study of multiple sclerosis in Hong Kong Chinese: questionnaire survey. Hong Kong Med J. 2002;8:77–80
  18. Dean G. How many people in the world have multiple sclerosis?. Neuroepidemiology. 1994;13:1–7
  19. Weinshenker BG. Epidemiology of multiple sclerosis. Neurol Clin. 1996;14:291–308
  20. Minden SL, Marder WD. Multiple sclerosis: a statistical portrait: a compendium of data and demographics, disability and health service utilization in the US. Report to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Cambridge: Abt Associates; 1993;
  21. Grisso JA, Kelsey JL, O'Brien LA, et al. Risk factors for hip fractures in men. Am J Epidemiol. 1997;145:786–793
  22. Tinetti ME, Doucette J, Claus E, Marottoli R. Risk factors for serious injury during falls by older persons in the community. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1995;43:1214–1221
  23. Nevitt MC, Cummings SR, Hudes ES. Risk factors for injurious falls: a prospective study. J Gerontol. 1991;46:M164–M170
  24. Kelsey JL, Browner WS, Seeley DG, Nevitt MC, Cummings SR. Risk factors for fractures of the distal forearm and proximal humerus (The Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group). Am J Epidemiol. 1992;135:477–489
  25. Koski K, Luukinen H, Laippala P, Kivela SL. Risk factors for major injurious falls among the home dwelling elderly by functional abilities. Gerontology. 1998;44:232–238
  26. Cosman F, Nieves J, Komar L, et al. Fracture history and bone loss in patients with MS. Neurology. 1998;51:1161–1165
  27. Kannus P, Parkkari J. Prevention of hip fracture with hip protectors. Age Ageing. 2006;35(Suppl 2):ii51–ii54
  28. Williams DR, Watt HC, Lees AJ. Predictors of falls and fractures in bradykinetic rigid syndromes: a retrospective study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2006;77:468–473
  29. Mackintosh SF, Hill K, Dodd KJ, Goldie P, Culham E. Falls and injury prevention should be part of every stroke rehabilitation plan. Clin Rehabil. 2005;19:441–451
  30. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy people 2010. Washington (DC): Government Printing Office; 2000;
  31. Marrie RA, Cutter G, Tyry T, Hadjimichael O, Campagnolo D, Vollmer T. Validation of the NARCOMS Registry: fatigue assessment. Mult Scler. 2005;11:583–584
  32. Katzman R, Brown T, Fuld P, Peck A, Schechter R, Schimmel H. Validation of a short Orientation-Memory-Concentration Test of cognitive impairment. Am J Psychiatry. 1983;140:734–739
  33. Agresti A. Categorical data analysis. 2nd ed.. Hoboken: Wiley; 2002;
  34. Miles MB, Huberman AM. Qualitative data analysis: an expanded sourcebook. 2nd ed.. Thousand Oaks: Sage; 1994;
  35. Brown JP, Josse RG Scientific Advisory Council of the Osteoporosis Society of Canada. Clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis in Canada. 2002, [published errata in: CMAJ 2003;168:400; CMAJ 2003;168:676; CMAJ 2003;168:544] CMAJ. 2002;167(10 Suppl):S1–S34
  36. Liu-Ambrose T, Eng JJ, Khan KM, Carter ND, McKay HA. Older women with osteoporosis have increased postural sway and weaker quadriceps strength than counterparts with normal bone mass: overlooked determinants of fracture risk?. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2003;58:862–866
  37. Greig AM, Bennell KL, Briggs AM, Wark JD, Hodges PW. Balance impairment is related to vertebral fracture rather than thoracic kyphosis in individuals with osteoporosis. Osteoporos Int. 2007;18:543–551
  38. Cook DJ, Guyatt GH, Adachi JD, et al. Quality of life issues in women with vertebral fractures due to osteoporosis. Arthritis Rheum. 1993;36:750–756
  39. Carpenter MG, Frank JS, Silcher CP, Peyser GW. The influence of postural threat on the control of upright stance. Exp Brain Res. 2001;138:210–218
  40. Delbaere K, Crombez G, Van Den Noortgate N, Willems T, Cambier D. The risk of being fearful or fearless in older people: an empirical validation. Disabil Rehabil. 2006;28:751–756
  41. Liu-Ambrose T, Khan KM, Donaldson MG, Eng JJ, Lord SR, McKay HA. Falls-related self-efficacy is independently associated with balance and mobility in older women with low bone mass. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2006;61:832–838
  42. Hodgson SF, Watts NB, Bilezikian JP, et al. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists medical guidelines for clinical practice for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: 2001 edition, with selected updates for 2003. Endocr Pract. 2003;9:544–564
  43. Shabas D, Weinreb H. Preventative healthcare in women with multiple sclerosis. J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2000;9:389–395
  44. Sharts-Hopko NC, Sullivan MP. Beliefs, perceptions, and practices related to osteoporosis risk reduction among women with multiple sclerosis. Rehabil Nurs. 2002;27:232–236
  45. Martin FC, Hart D, Spector T, Doyle DV, Harari D. Fear of falling limiting activity in young-old women in associated with reduced functional mobility rather than psychological factors. Age Ageing. 2005;34:281–287
  46. Wilson MM, Miller DK, Andresen EM, Malmstrom TK, Miller JP, Wolinsky ED. Fear of falling and related activity restriction among middle-aged African Americans. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2005;60:355–360
  47. Friedman SM, Munoz B, West S, Rubin GS, Fried LP. Falls and fear of falling: which comes first? (A longitudinal prediction model suggests strategies for primary and secondary prevention). J Am Geriatr Soc. 2002;50:1329–1335
  48. Howland J, Lachman ME, Peterson EW, Cote J, Kasten L, Jette A. Covariates of fear of falling and associated activity curtailment. Gerontologist. 1998;38:549–555
  49. Tinetti ME, Baker DI, McAvay G, et al. A multifactorial intervention to reduce the risk of falling among elderly people living in the community. N Engl J Med. 1994;331:821–827
  50. Wolf SL, Barnhart HX, Kutner NG, McNeeley E, Coogler C, Xu T Atlanta FICSIT Group. Selected as the best paper in the 1990s: Reducing frailty and falls in older persons: an investigation of tai chi and computerized balance training. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2003;51:1794–1803
  51. Tennstedt S, Howland J, Lachman M, Peterson E, Kasten L, Jette A. A randomized, controlled trial of a group intervention to reduce fear of falling and associated activity restriction in older adults. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 1998;53:384–392
  52. Stephenson SC, Langley JD, Civil ID. Comparing measures of injury severity for use with large databases. J Trauma. 2002;53:326–332
  53. Aday LA, Andersen RM. A framework for the study of access to medical care. Health Serv Res. 1974;9:208–220
  54. Aday LA, Awe WC. Health services utilization models. In:  Gochman DS editors. Handbook of health behavior research. Volume I: personal and social determinants. New York: Plenum; 1997;p. 153–172
  55. Andersen R, Newman JF. Societal and individual determinants of medical care utilization in the United States. Milbank Mem Fund Q Health Soc. 1973;51:95–124
  56. Andersen R. Revisiting the behavioral model and access to medical care: does it matter?. J Health Soc Behav. 1995;36:1–10
  57. Jacobs LD, Wende KE, Brownscheidle CM, et al. A profile of multiple sclerosis: the New York State Multiple Sclerosis Consortium. Mult Scler. 1999;5:369–376
  58. Collins JG. Prevalence of selected chronic conditions: United States, 1990-1992. Vital Health Stat 10. 1997;(194):1–89
  59. Klewer D, Pohlau D, Nippert I, Haas J, Kugler J. Problems reported by elderly patients with multiple sclerosis. J Neurosci Nurs. 2001;33:167–171
  60. Finlayson M. Health and social profile of older adults with MS: findings from three studies. Int J MS Care. 2002;4:139–151
  61. Minden SL, Frankel D, Hadden LS, Srinath KP, Perloff JN. Disability in elderly people with multiple sclerosis: an analysis of baseline data from the Sonya Slifka Longitudinal Multiple Sclerosis Study. Neurorehabilitation. 2004;19:55–67
  62. Schwartz CE, Andresen EM, Nosek MA, Krahn GL RRTC Expert Panel on Health Status Measurement. Response shift theory: important implications for measuring quality of life in people with disability. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2007;88:529–536

 Supported by the Retirement Research Foundation (grant no. 2004-065).

 No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the authors or upon any organization with which the authors are associated.

PII: S0003-9993(08)00175-5

doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2007.10.043

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 89, Issue 6 , Pages 1031-1037 , June 2008

Article Tools