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Table 2 Univariate falls incidence rate ratios for characteristics of 241 community-dwelling older adults (75+ years)

From: Development of a multivariable prognostic PREdiction model for 1-year risk of FALLing in a cohort of community-dwelling older adults aged 75 years and above (PREFALL)

Variable

Unit or category

IRR (95% CI)

p-value

Sociodemographics

 Age (years)

Years

0.97 (0.94–1.00)

<.05

 Sex

Men

Ref

Ref

Women

0.90 (0.67–1.23)

.52

 Marital status

Married or living with a partner

Ref

Ref

Not married

1.44 (0.60–2.90)

.36

Separated or divorced

0.91 (0.35–1.93)

.83

Widow

1.08 (0.79–1.47)

.64

 Living alone

No

Ref

Ref

Yes

1.19 (0.88–1.61)

.27

 Highest level of education completed

Municipal primary and lower secondary school

Ref

Ref

General upper secondary education

0.76 (0.19–0.21)

.64

Skilled worker

1.01 (0.67–1.49)

.97

Short-cycle higher education

2.97 (1.80–4.74)

< .05

Medium-cycle higher education

2.00 (1.36–2.92)

< .05

Long cycle higher education

0.84 (0.25–2.03)

.73

 Weekly alcohol consumption

0–7 units

Ref

Ref

>  7 units

1.55 (1.12–2.11)

<.05

 Dogs or cats in the household

No

Ref

Ref

Yes

1.26 (0.82–1.85)

.27

 Using glasses with multifocal lenses

No

Ref

Ref

Yes

0.60 (0.44–0.83)

<.05

Comorbidities and medication

 Having two or more diseases or chronic disorders

No

Ref

Ref

Yes

1.35 (0.86–2.25)

.21

 Number of all prescribed drugs

Count

1.06 (1.02–1.10)

<.05

Nutrition

 Body Mass Index

Kg/m2

0.98 (0.95–1.01) a

.24

 Mini Nutritional Assessment Score

Score from 0 to 14 (14 is the best possible score)

0.84 (0.78–0.91) a

<.05

Activities of Daily Living and mobility

 Vulnerable Elders Survey – 13

Score from 1 to 10 (1 is the best score)

1.13 (1.07–1.18)

<.05

 Using walking aids

No

Ref

Ref

Yes

1.37 (1.02–1.83)

<.05

 Habitual gait speed

M/sec

0.88 (0.65–1.18)

.41

Psychology and cognition

 Geriatric Depression Scale - 4 items

0

Ref

Ref

1

0.76 (0.50–1.13)

.20

2

1.15 (0.54–2.14)

.67

3

9.5 (5.34–15.70)

<.05

 Orientation-Memory-Concentration test

Score from 0 to 28 (28 is the best score)

0.99 (0.96–1.03) c

.69

 EQ-5D-3L

Score from −0.167 to 1.000 points

0.19 (0.09–0.40)

<.05

Falls

 One or more falls within the previous year

No

Ref

Ref

Yes

3.47 (2.53–4.85)

<.05

 Short Falls Efficacy Scale International

Score from 7 to 28 (7 is the best score)

1.06 (1.01–1.11)

<.05

 Do you think that you will fall within the next year?

No

Ref

Ref

Yes

4.10 (3.04–5.50) b

<.05

Frailty and symptoms

 Tilburg Frailty Indicator

Score from 0 to 15 points (0 is the best possible score)

1.13 (1.06–1.20) a

<.05

 Occasionally experiencing dizziness

No

Ref

Ref

Yes

2.17 (1.59–2.99)

<.05

 Occasionally experiencing lower limb pain when walking?

No

Ref

Ref

Yes

1.29 (0.96–1.74)

.09

 Occasionally experiencing urinary incontinence

No

Ref

Ref

Yes

1.25 (0.92–1.67)

.15

Physical

 Total grip strength of both upper limbs

Kg

0.99 (0.97–1.00) b

.17

 Difference in grip strength between upper limbs

Kg

0.95 (0.86–1.04) b

.34

 Total isometric lower limb strength

Kg

0.98 (0.96–1.00) b, d

.08

 Difference in isometric lower limb strengths

Kg

0.78 (0.62–0.97) b, d

.03

 Average lower limb reaction time

Ms

0.99 (0.99–1.00) b, d

.96

 Difference in lower limb reaction time

Ms

0.99 (0.99–1.00) b, e

.09

 Centre of Pressure area

mm2

1.01 (1.00–1.02) a, d

<.05

 Centre of Pressure speed

mm/s

1.04 (0.94–1.14) a, d

.45

  1. Notes: n number, % percentage proportion, IRR incidence rate ratio, CI confidence interval, Ref reference group, m/sec meters per second, kg kilogram, ms milliseconds, mm2 square millimeters, mm/s millimeters per second, kg/m2 kg per square meters, a = 1 missing observation, b = 2 missing observations, c = 4 missing observations, d = data has been scaled by a factor of 10, e = IRR (95% CI): 0.9997914 (0.9995242–1.000003)