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Original Article
- Associations Between Multiple Falls and Mental Health Indices in Korean Older Adults: A Cross-sectional Study
- Chaelyn Lim, Hyun-Jin Son, Byung-Gwon Kim, Byeng-Chul Yu, Jiwon Kim, Young-Seoub Hong
- J Prev Med Public Health. 2025;58(3):269-277. Published online January 14, 2025
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.24.482
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Abstract
Summary
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Supplementary Material - Objectives
This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of falls, mental health issues, and health behaviors among older adults, as well as to analyze the association between multiple falls and mental health status in this population.
Methods
We utilized data from the 2017, 2019, and 2021 Korean Community Health Survey, a nationwide survey organized by region and conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Participants were categorized into no-fall, single-fall, and multiple fall groups based on responses to an index question regarding fall experiences and the number of such incidents reported in the survey. The chi-square test was applied to understand the characteristics of the elderly population in the community. Subsequently, multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to clarify the association between falls and mental health.
Results
Integrated data analysis revealed that 11.3% of participants experienced a single fall, while 5.7% reported multiple falls. Participants from low-education and low-income backgrounds exhibited relatively high rates of falls. Additionally, non-drinkers and non-smokers reported falls more frequently than their counterparts who consumed alcohol and smoked. Multinomial logistic regression revealed significant associations between multiple falls and mental health factors. In particular, the severity of depression was directly proportional to the likelihood of experiencing multiple falls, with an odds ratio of 2.95 (95% confidence interval, 2.49 to 3.50).
Conclusions
We identified associations between various mental health-related factors—including sleep duration, subjective stress, the presence of depression, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score—and the occurrence of multiple falls. -
SummaryKorean summary
본 연구는 한국의 65세 이상 노인을 대상으로 낙상 경험과 정신건강 지표 간의 연관성을 분석한 단면 연구이다. 다회 낙상은 수면 시간, 주관적 스트레스, 우울감, PHQ-9 점수 등 다양한 정신건강 요인과 유의한 관련이 있었으며, 특히 우울증이 심할수록 낙상 발생 위험이 높아지는 경향을 보였다.Key Message
Multiple falls among Korean older adults were significantly associated with mental health-related factors, including sleep duration, subjective stress, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores. These results emphasize the need for comprehensive interventions targeting both physical and mental health to prevent recurrent falls in the elderly.
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