Table 1

Prevalence, incidence and risk estimates of remembered falls in the previous year
Study participant characteristics
 Prevalence:
How common is falling or repeated falling
>90 years?
 Incidence:
How frequently do
>90-year-olds fall?

n
 Recalled
≥ 1 fall in
past year
n (%)
 Relative Risk
– unadjusted
RR (95% C.I.)
 Recalled
≥ 2 falls in
past year
n (%)
 Relative Risk
– unadjusted
RR (95% C.I.)
 Number of
recalled
falls in
past year
 Person-
yrs of recalled
falls data
 Incidence
of recalled
falls/person-yr
 Incidence
Rate Ratio –
unadjusted
IRR (95% C.I.)
AGE








Each additional year > 91 years

1.1 (1.0–1.2)
1.3 (1.1–1.5)
 -
 -
 -
 1.1 (1.0–1.3)
AGE-BAND








91–94 years old
 74
 36 (48)
 1.0
 16 (22)
 1.0
 94
 74
 1.3
 1.0
≥ 95 years old
 36
 27 (77)
 1.6 (1.2–1.9)
 21 (60)
 2.7 (1.8–3.6)
 83
 35
 2.4
 1.9 (1.1–3.3)
GENDER








Men
 20
 11 (55)
 1.0
 5 (25)
 1.0
 23
 20
 1.2
 1.0
Women
 90
 52 (58)
 1.1 (0.6–1.4)
 32 (36)
 1.4 (0.7–2.5)
 154
 89
 1.7
 1.5 (0.8–3.0)
PLACE OF RESIDENCE








Living in the community
(house, flat or granny flat)
 62
 30 (48)
 1.0
 18 (29)
 1.0
 74
 62
 1.2
 1.0
Living in any supported setting
(Sheltered housing or institution)
 48
 33 (70)
 1.5 (1.1–1.8)
 19 (40)
 1.4 (0.9–2.1)
 103
 47
 2.2
 1.8 (1.1–3.2)
EDUCATION








Left school aged 14 yrs or less
 67
 33 (50)
 1.0
 20 (30)
 1.0
 91
 66
 1.4
 1.0
Full-time education aged 15+ yrs
 43
 30 (70)
 1.4 (1.0–1.7)
 17 (40)
 1.3 (0.8–2.0)
 86
 43
 2.0
 1.5 (0.8–2.6)
SOCIAL CLASS








Manual
 55
 30 (55)
 1.0
 20 (36)
 1.0
 72
 55
 1.3
 1.0
Non-manual
 51
 30 (60)
 1.1 (0.8–1.4)
 15 (30)
 0.9 (0.4–1.4)
 96
 50
 1.9
 1.5 (0.8–2.6)
TOTAL SAMPLE
 110
 63 (58)
37 (34)
177
 109
 1.6

Fleming et al. BMC Geriatrics 2008 8:6   doi:10.1186/1471-2318-8-6