Dataset Information

Changes in fall rates from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from the prospective AMBROSIA study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

COVID-19 social distancing policies resulted in reductions in community movement, however fall rates during this time have not been described.

Methods

This prospective study included adults ≥65 years old participating in the Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Older Adults (AMBROSIA) cohort and who completed ≥1 monthly falls calendar (August 2019-March 2021; n=250). Months were grouped to correspond to the fall 2020 phased re-opening (August-October) and the shelter-in-place policy during the winter 2020 surge (November-January) in Los Angeles, California and compared to the same months, one year earlier (i.e., before the pandemic).

Results

Participants had a mean (SD) age of 75.2 (6.1) years, 49.6% were White, and 53.2% were women. We obtained 2,795 falls calendars during follow-up. Overall, 110 (44.0%) participants reported a total of 421 falls (rate 15.1 per 100 calendar months). The highest monthly fall rate during the pandemic was 22.9 (95% CI 16.4-31.1) per 100 calendar-months in August 2020. The lowest fall rate during the pandemic was 8.6 (95% CI 3.5-17.8) per 100 calendar-months in February 2021. During the pandemic, fall rates in August, September, and October 2020 were higher than the previous year (rate ratio 1.8 [95% CI 1.1-2.9]) and fall rates in November and December 2020 and January 2021 were lower than the previous year (rate ratio 0.5 [95% CI 0.4-0.8]).

Conclusions

As the pandemic continues and older adults resume community mobility after a shelter-in-place period, providers should pay attention to the risk of falls.

SUBMITTER: Bowling CB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9214135 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Changes in Fall Rates From Before to During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings From the Prospective AMBROSIA Study.

Bowling C Barrett CB Wei Rong X RX Qian Lei L Shimbo Daichi D Schwartz Joseph E JE Muntner Paul P Cannavale Kimberly L KL Harrison Teresa N TN Reynolds Kristi K

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences 20230301 4

<h4>Background</h4>Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) social distancing policies resulted in reductions in community movement, however, fall rates during this time have not been described.<h4>Methods</h4>This prospective study included adults ≥65 years old participating in the Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Older Adults (AMBROSIA) cohort and who completed ≥1 monthly falls calendar (August 2019-March 2021; n = 250). Months were grouped to correspond to the fall 2020 phased reopening (August-Octobe ...[more]

PMID: 35690355

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