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Orientation and verbal fluency in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing: modifiable risk factors for falls?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2018

T. O. Smith Open the ORCID record for T. O. Smith [Opens in a new window] ,
S. R. Neal ,
G. Peryer ,
K. J. Sheehan ,
M. P. Tan  and
P. K. Myint
T. O. Smith*
Affiliation:
Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK & NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
S. R. Neal
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
G. Peryer
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
K. J. Sheehan
Affiliation:
Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Population Health and Environmental Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
M. P. Tan
Affiliation:
Ageing and Age-Associated Disorders Research Group, Department of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
P. K. Myint
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Toby O. Smith, Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, University of Oxford, Windmill Road, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

Objectives:

To determine the relationship between falls and deficits in specific cognitive domains in older adults.

Design:

An analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) cohort.

Setting:

United Kingdom community-based.

Participants:

5197 community-dwelling older adults recruited to a prospective longitudinal cohort study.

Measurements:

Data on the occurrence of falls and number of falls, which occurred during a 12-month follow-up period, were assessed against the specific cognitive domains of memory, numeracy skills, and executive function. Binomial logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association between each cognitive domain and the dichotomous outcome of falls in the preceding 12 months using unadjusted and adjusted models.

Results:

Of the 5197 participants included in the analysis, 1308 (25%) reported a fall in the preceding 12 months. There was no significant association between the occurrence of a fall and specific forms of cognitive dysfunction after adjusting for self-reported hearing, self-reported eyesight, and functional performance. After adjustment, only orientation (odds ratio [OR]: 0.80; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.65–0.98, p = 0.03) and verbal fluency (adjusted OR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.96–1.00; p = 0.05) remained significant for predicting recurrent falls.

Conclusions:

The cognitive phenotype rather than cognitive impairment per se may predict future falls in those presenting with more than one fall.

Keywords

memoryexecutive functioncognitive skillsfallinjuryaged
Type
Original Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 31 , Issue 10: Issue Theme: Dementia and the Society , October 2019 , pp. 1491 - 1498
Copyright
© International Psychogeriatric Association 2018 

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