Serious Falls in Middle-Aged Veterans: Development and Validation of a Predictive Risk Model.

ABSTRACT:

Background/objectives

Due to high rates of multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and hazardous alcohol and opioid use, middle-aged Veterans are at risk for serious falls (those prompting a visit with a healthcare provider), posing significant risk to their forthcoming geriatric health and quality of life. We developed and validated a predictive model of the 6-month risk of serious falls among middle-aged Veterans.

Design

Cohort study.

Setting

Veterans Health Administration (VA).

Participants

Veterans, aged 45 to 65 years, who presented for care within the VA between 2012 and 2015 (N = 275,940).

Exposures

The exposures of primary interest were substance use (including alcohol and prescription opioid use), multimorbidity, and polypharmacy. Hazardous alcohol use wa

SUBMITTER: Womack JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7744431 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature