Table 2 Risk factors for falls in men and women: Bivariate analysis

 Indoor environmental hazards

1.25 (0.98–1.59)

1.53** (1.26–1.86)

 Outdoor environmental hazards

1.31** (1.08–1.60)

0.99 (0.85–1.17)

  75–84 years

1.36** (1.13–1.64)

1.10 (0.94–1.28)

  85+ years

1.91** (1.51–2.42)

1.45** (1.20–1.75)

 Non-Hispanic White

1.38** (1.14–1.66)

1.19* (1.02–1.37)

  High school graduate

0.86 (0.69–1.08)

0.72** (0.61–0.86)

  Some college

0.83 (0.64–1.08)

0.81* (0.66–1.00)

  Bachelor’s degree or advanced degree

0.86 (0.68–1.07)

0.76* (0.61–0.94)

 No job or retirement

1.24 (0.98–1.58)

1.51** (1.17–1.95)

 Home ownership

1.08 (0.88–1.34)

0.69** (0.59–0.80)

 Household income

0.89 (0.75–1.07)

0.77** (0.67–0.88)

  Duplex or townhouse

0.77 (0.55–1.09)

1.12 (0.88–1.43)

  Mobile home

1.15 (0.80–1.66)

1.34 (0.98–1.83)

  Multi-family house

0.72* (0.53–0.99)

1.11 (0.91–1.37)

 Poor health

2.53** (1.89–3.39)

3.01** (2.33–3.89)

 Fear of falling

4.07** (3.36–4.92)

2.96** (2.57–3.42)

 Balance impairment

5.01** (4.16–6.03)

3.83** (3.31–4.43)

 Mobility limitation within a quarter mile

3.75** (3.09–4.56)

2.38** (2.06–2.74)

 Vision impairment

1.75** (1.29–2.37)

1.99** (1.60–2.48)

 Arthritis

1.96** (1.66–2.32)

1.92** (1.66–2.23)

  1

1.14 (0.79–1.64)

1.17 (0.82–1.68)

  2

1.61** (1.15–2.28)

1.85** (1.33–2.58)

  3

2.05** (1.45–2.90)

2.2** (1.58–3.08)

   ≥ 4

3.31** (2.36–4.65)

3.42** (2.46–4.75)

 Depression

2.21** (1.83–2.67)

1.92** (1.66–2.21)

 Medication use

2.10** (1.74–2.54)

2.17** (1.88–2.52)

 Gait speed

0.45** (0.34–0.58)

0.51** (0.42–0.64)

 Use of a walking aid

3.83** (3.17–4.64)

2.40** (2.08–2.78)

 Frequency of going outside

0.41** (0.31–0.54)

0.64** (0.54–0.75)

 Walk for exercise

0.56** (0.48–0.67)

0.59** (0.52–0.68)