Sitti Nurhayati, Ahmad Subekti, Wijaya Andi, Arie Budi

Family support and fall risk among the elderly: Insights from a primary healthcare center in Gresik

Introduction

Family support and fall risk among the elderly: insights from a primary healthcare center in gresik. Discover how family support impacts fall risk in Gresik's elderly. Strong family support cuts fall risk by 75%. Enhance family involvement for effective fall prevention.

Abstract

Background: Falls among the elderly represent a significant public health issue, often leading to severe physical injuries, decreased quality of life, and increased healthcare costs. Purpose: This study aims to investigate the relationship between family support and fall risk among elderly individuals in Gresik. Methods: Utilizing a cross-sectional design, 150 elderly participants were surveyed using structured questionnaires assessing demographic characteristics, family support levels, and fall risk factors. Logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the influence of family support and other variables on fall risk. Results: The findings reveal that family support is significantly associated with fall risk, with high levels of family support reducing the likelihood of falls by 75% (OR = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.12-0.51, p < 0.001). Age was also identified as a significant predictor, with each additional year increasing fall risk by 15% (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.02-1.30, p = 0.020). Gender and living arrangements were not statistically significant predictors. Demographic analysis showed that the majority of participants were aged 60-69 years, predominantly female, and living with family members, emphasizing the potential role of family dynamics in elderly care. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of family support as a protective factor against falls in elderly populations. Interventions focusing on enhancing family involvement, such as caregiver training and home modifications, are recommended to mitigate fall risk. Future research should explore longitudinal designs and qualitative methods to further elucidate the mechanisms of family support in fall prevention.

Review

This study offers a valuable contribution to the understanding of fall risk among the elderly, particularly highlighting the crucial role of family support. The authors clearly articulate a relevant public health issue and provide a focused purpose: to investigate the relationship between family support and fall risk in Gresik. The methodology, employing a cross-sectional design with 150 participants and logistic regression analysis, yields compelling results. The finding that high levels of family support significantly reduce the likelihood of falls by 75% is robust and carries strong practical implications for preventive strategies. Furthermore, the identification of age as a significant predictor underscores established risk factors, while the local context provides specific insights for regional healthcare planning. However, several aspects of the study, as presented in the abstract, warrant critical consideration. The cross-sectional design inherently limits the ability to infer causality; while a strong association is demonstrated, it cannot definitively prove that family support *causes* a reduction in fall risk. A key omission is the lack of detail regarding the specific "structured questionnaires" used to assess family support levels and fall risk factors. Without information on the validity and reliability of these instruments, the rigor and replicability of the findings are difficult to fully assess. Additionally, while age, gender, and living arrangements were considered, the abstract does not elaborate on other crucial confounders for fall risk, such as comorbidities, medication use, previous fall history, or specific environmental hazards, which could impact the observed associations. The single-center approach and sample size may also limit the generalizability of these findings to broader elderly populations. Despite these limitations, the study's conclusion regarding family support as a protective factor is impactful and provides a strong basis for future research and intervention. Moving forward, it would be highly beneficial for future investigations to adopt longitudinal designs to establish clearer causal pathways. Incorporating qualitative methods would also be instrumental in elucidating the nuanced mechanisms through which family support operates to prevent falls, exploring specific types of support (e.g., emotional, instrumental, financial) and their differential impacts. Expanding research to include a wider array of health and environmental factors, alongside larger, multi-site studies, would significantly enhance the generalizability and applicability of these findings, ultimately leading to more comprehensive and effective fall prevention programs.

Full Text

Comments

You need to be logged in to post a comment.