LONELY: RISK FACTOR FOR FALLS IN OLDER PEOPLE

Background: Falls and unsteadiness (loss of balance) ranks high among the serious clinical probems for older people. They are the causes of death and diseases in older people. This research provides information and factors influence falls in older people at Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City. Method: A cross sectional study was conducted at Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City with the total samples of 301 people in the community from February to July 2018 on older people aged 55 and above. Results: Fall rate in older people is 15.3%. The factors that affect falls in older people in univariate analysis are age; not living with spouse; income; working paid jobs for 7 days; prolonged health problems; health problems affecting mobility; loneliness for 12 months. When analysis is done with multivaribles, factors such as working paid jobs for 7 days, health problems affecting mobility and loneliness for the past 12 months are the factors that have statistical significance for falls in older people. Results of multivariate analysis also show that people not working paid jobs for 7 days have higher fall risk compare to other group (OR = 3.24; KTC 95%: 1.31 - 7.99); people with little restricted mobility due to health problems have higher fall risk than people whose mobility is not restricted due to health problems (OR = 2.43; KTC 95%: 0.98 - 6.00); people who feel lonely daily for 12 months have higher fall risk than people who have never felt lonely for 12 months (OR = 66.33; KTC 95%: 5.03 - 875.51). Conclusions: The mental problems of older people need to be regarded to reduce fall risks.