Factors Related to Fall Prevention Behavior among Elders in Community, Nongbua Lamphu Province

Abstract

This research aim to compare the average level of behavior in 6 positions to prevent falls of the elderly between before and after the operation and to study the relationship between personal characteristics, fall characteristics, home environment and the risk level of falling with the fall level of prevention behavior among elders in Nongbua Lamphu province. This action research was to study 173 of population in Nongbua Lamphu province 60 years and older. Data were collected between October - December 2019, using the questionnaire as follows the risk level of falling (alpha =0.91), the prevention behavior of falling (alpha =0.89), fall characteristics (IOC =0.85) and home environment (IOC =0.83). Statistics used were as follows percentage, mean, standard deviation, Chi-Square tests (c²), Paired samples T test and Pearson correlation coefficient.

The results found that:  After the operation, the elderly had more falling prevention behavior than before the operation with statistical significance (P<0.001), 48.2% the most increase in stretches, 40.2% tiptoe and 38.5% knee flexion respectively. Factors related to fall prevention behavior among elders in community with statistical significance at p<0.05found that personal characteristics included age, Body Mass Index, income, the remaining teeth could be chewed and number of family members, fall characteristics, exercise, home environment and the risk level of falling were as 10 factors, namely awareness, balance, general physical condition, speech, excretion ability, drug used, vision, fall history and chronic disease conditions respectively.