Racial/Ethnic predictors of falls among older adults: the health and retirement study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine racial/ethnic differences in the probability and frequency of falls among adults aged 65 and older.

METHOD: Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) from 2000 to 2010, the authors conducted random-intercept logistic and Poisson regression analyses to examine whether race/ethnicity predicted the likelihood of a fall event and the frequency of falls.

RESULTS: The analytic sample included 10,484 older adults. Baseline analyses showed no significant racial/ethnic differences in the probability or number of falls. However, in the longitudinal random-intercept models, African Americans had significantly lower odds (0.65) of experiencing at least one fall compared with non-Hispanic Whites. Among fallers, African Americans had significantly fewer falls (24%) than non-Hispanic Whites, controlling for health and sociodemographic covariates (all ps < .05). Latinos did not differ from non-Hispanic Whites in the likelihood or number of falls.

DISCUSSION: African Americans are less likely to experience initial or recurrent falls than non-Hispanic Whites.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25005171?dopt=Abstract

falls/fall rates/fall risk/ethnicity/older adults/risk factors/ethnic differences/African Americans/hispanics

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