Prevalence and Risk Factors for Falls among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study from Kerala, India

Introduction: Falls are a major geriatric syndrome contributing to morbidity, disability and mortality, particularly in rapidly againg low- and middle-income settings such as Kerala, India. Methodology: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted amongst 1000 adults aged ≥60 years in Thrissur Taluk using the proportionate stratified random sampling. History of falls in the last 5 years was assessed using the CDC STEADI 2019 tool and gait and balance were evaluated using the Timed Up and Go test. Factors associated with falls were examined. The manuscript was prepared in accordance with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Results: Nearly half of the participants (48.4%) reported at least one fall in the previous 5 years. Falls were significantly associated with increasing age, living arrangement, lower income, impaired functional status, depressive symptoms, sensory loss in the feet, etc. Conclusions: The high prevalence of falls amongst older adults in this study highlights the need for routine fall-risk screening and multi-component preventive interventions integrated into primary health care to reduce fall-related burden and support healthy ageing.