Table 1 Individual characteristics of older women with a distal-forearm fracture, vertebral fracture, hip fracture, or soft-tissue injury
Characteristic | Distal-forearm fracture (N = 203) | Hip fracture (N = 375) | Vertebral fracture (N = 189) | Soft-tissue injury (N = 717) | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | ||
Age at injury (mean (SD)) (years) | 72.0 (7.9) | 79.9 (7.0) | 76.3 (7.2) | 75.5 (8.7) | < 0.001 |
Educational level | |||||
 Junior high or above | 59 (29.1) | 50 (13.3) | 32 (16.9) | 190 (26.5) | < 0.001 |
 Elementary school | 114 (56.1) | 194 (51.8) | 97 (51.3) | 326 (45.5) |  |
 Illiterate | 30 (14.8) | 131 (34.9) | 60 (31.8) | 201 (28.0) |  |
Living alone (yes) | 14 (6.9) | 44 (11.7) | 29 (15.3) | 58 (8.1) | 0.008 |
Body-mass index (kg/m2) | |||||
 Underweight (< 18.5) | 9 (4.4) | 55 (14.7) | 11 (5.8) | 52 (7.3) | < 0.001 |
 Ideal weight (18.5 ~ 22.9) | 82 (40.4) | 155 (41.3) | 75 (39.7) | 264 (36.8) |  |
 Overweight (23 ~ 24.9) | 46 (22.7) | 75 (20.0) | 42 (22.2) | 142 (19.8) |  |
 Obese (≥25) | 66 (32.5) | 90 (24.0) | 61 (32.3) | 259 (36.1) |  |
Current smoker (yes) | 2 (1.0) | 11 (2.9) | 1 (0.5) | 11 (1.5) | 0.129 |
Regular alcohol consumption (≥3 times per week) | 2 (1.0) | 8 (2.1) | 15 (7.9) | 15 (2.1) | < 0.001 |
Regular exercise (≥3 times per week) | 123 (60.6) | 171 (45.6) | 103 (54.5) | 320 (44.6) | < 0.001 |
Bone mineral density (T-score < − 2.5) | 47 (23.2) | 201 (53.6) | 108 (57.1) | 149 (20.8) | < 0.001 |
Fall history in the past year (no.) | |||||
 0 | 170 (83.7) | 261 (69.6) | 125 (66.1) | 485 (67.6) | 0.001 |
 1 | 17 (8.4) | 54 (14.4) | 33 (17.5) | 104 (14.5) |  |
  ≥ 2 | 16 (7.9) | 60 (16.0) | 31 (16.4) | 128 (17.9) |  |
Previous fractures since the age of 50 years (yes) | 28 (13.8) | 110 (29.3) | 53 (28.0) | 92 (12.8) | < 0.001 |
Number of chronic conditions (medium (range)) | 2.0 (0 ~ 8) | 3.0 (0 ~ 10) | 3.0 (0 ~ 11) | 2.0 (0 ~ 9) | < 0.001 |
Medication use | |||||
 Any medication use | 133 (65.5) | 325 (86.7) | 155 (82.0) | 593 (82.7) | < 0.001 |
 Antihypertensive drugs | 74 (36.5) | 177 (47.2) | 84 (44.4) | 315 (43.9) | 0.114 |
 Sedatives/hypnotics | 15 (7.4) | 64 (17.1) | 32 (16.9) | 78 (10.9) | 0.001 |
 Antidiabetics | 30 (14.8) | 109 (29.1) | 53 (28.0) | 167 (23.3) | 0.001 |
 Vitamins | 25 (12.3) | 44 (11.7) | 31 (16.4) | 140 (19.5) | 0.295 |
 Calcium | 30 (14.8) | 56 (14.9) | 38 (20.1) | 148 (20.6) | 0.530 |
 Antihistamines | 5 (2.5) | 18 (4.8) | 5 (2.6) | 15 (2.1) | 0.591 |
Visual acuity | |||||
 Impaired | 47 (23.1) | 158 (42.1) | 83 (43.9) | 163 (22.7) | < 0.001 |
 Good | 156 (76.9) | 217 (57.9) | 106 (56.1) | 554 (77.3) |  |
Use of walking aids preinjury (yes) | 25 (12.3) | 105 (28.0) | 35 (18.5) | 159 (22.2) | < 0.001 |
Cognitive impairment (SPMSQ ≥5)α | 13 (6.4) | 77 (20.5) | 24 (12.7) | 91 (12.7) | < 0.001 |
Depressive symptoms (GDS > 5)α | 9 (4.4) | 39 (10.4) | 15 (7.9) | 26 (3.6) | < 0.001 |
Fear of falling (medium (range)) (points) | 0.5 (0 ~ 10) | 1.5 (0 ~ 10) | 2.0 (0 ~ 10) | 2.0 (0 ~ 10) | 0.188 |