Falls in elderly patients in rheumatology consultation at Bogodogo’s university hospital in Burkina Faso: frequency and associated risk factors, a preliminary study.

Abstract

The elderly population is increasing in Burkina Faso. One of the main geriatric syndromes, falls, is not well understood in our context despite being a source of complications such as loss of autonomy and death. Objectives: To determine the frequency and factors associated with falls. Method: This was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study involving 216 patients over a period of 6 months from May 2023 to October 2023. Data significance was considered when the p-value was < 0.05. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was conducted to determine the presence of statistical links between a history of falls and various associated risk factors found. Results: The study included 216 elderly individuals, with a mean age of 66.8 years. The population was mostly female (66.2%), residing in urban areas (86.1%). Common comorbidities included hypertension (58.3%), obesity (29.6%), polypharmacy (29.6%), history of falls (28.2%), and diabetes (15.7%). We found 61 fallers, accounting for 28.2% of our sample, with 6.94% experiencing recurrent falls. Bivariate analysis showed significant associations between a history of falls and several variables such as age (p=0.02), gender (p=0.04), technical assistance use (p<0.01), knee osteoarthritis (p=0.04), and dependence according to the Katz scale (p<0.01). Conclusion: Falls among the elderly are now a reality in Burkina Faso with significant consequences for their health status. Therefore, it is opportune to implement preventive actions for this target population.