Visual aspects and falls among Japanese community-dwelling elderly

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24593455
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Community health/Gerontological nurisng
• Research Institution: Ube Frontier University (2013-2015); Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences (2012)
• Principal Investigator: Eto Maki 宇部フロンティア大学, 人間健康学部, 教授 (30295167)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 高齢者 / 転倒 / 視知覚 / 姿勢制御

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To examine the relationship between ophthalmic health and falls among Japanese older adults living in the community.
We collected descriptive statistics of 159 community-dwelling people aged 65 years or more who lived independently. Experience of falls in the past year; whether taking measures to prevent falls or not; subjective observation concerning falls; experience of ophthalmological surgery; and regular ophthalmological check-up. There were significant differences between those who fell and those who did not in relation to the ophthalmological surgeries both in the right and left eyes. Those who fell received routine ophthalmic examinations significantly more often than those who did not fall.
More than 70% of the participants did not receive routine ophthalmic examination. Almost half of the participants did not take any measures to prevent falls, and they often tripped.Regular ophthalmic examination and ophthalmological surgery had significant effects on occurrence of falls.

Free Research Field

公衆衛生看護学