A fall is an unintentional displacement of the body, with common occurrences in the elderly, constituting the third cause of death in individuals aged sixty or more. Incidences of falls are indicative of underlying problems, requiring attention from health professionals and family members. It is postulated, then, to identify the risk factors associated with the occurrence of falls in the context of the lives of the elderly, based on an integrative literature review. The following inclusion criteria were adopted: articles published from 2010 to 2020, in Portuguese, English and Spanish, which included in their titles and/or abstract aspects related to the proposed theme, as well as made available in full, free of charge and online. In this sense, factors may be associated with falls in the elderly: the use of assistive devices, environmental risks, health conditions such as rheumatism, muscle weakness, vertigo, impaired gait and balance, visual and auditory disorders, cognitive and sensory impairments. , orthostatic hypotension, diabetes mellitus, common mental disorder, osteoporosis, asthma, bronchitis, dizziness, insomnia and emphysema. It is concluded that falls are recurrent in the female elderly population and cause dysfunctions, limitations in daily activities, fear of falling, reduced functional mobility and injuries. Therefore, risk factors for falls in the elderly are associated with quality of life and efforts must be made to reduce their incidence, such as identifying factors contributing to falls and raising awareness about the subject and its consequences for the health of the elderly.

RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OCCURRENCE OF FALLS IN THE LIFE CONTEXT OF THE ELDERLY

• DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.2162262213127

• Palavras-chave: Risks, falls, elderly, prevention.

• Keywords: Risks, falls, elderly, prevention.

• Abstract:

   A fall is an unintentional displacement of the body, with common occurrences in the elderly, constituting the third cause of death in individuals aged sixty or more. Incidences of falls are indicative of underlying problems, requiring attention from health professionals and family members. It is postulated, then, to identify the risk factors associated with the occurrence of falls in the context of the lives of the elderly, based on an integrative literature review. The following inclusion criteria were adopted: articles published from 2010 to 2020, in Portuguese, English and Spanish, which included in their titles and/or abstract aspects related to the proposed theme, as well as made available in full, free of charge and online. In this sense, factors may be associated with falls in the elderly: the use of assistive devices, environmental risks, health conditions such as rheumatism, muscle weakness, vertigo, impaired gait and balance, visual and auditory disorders, cognitive and sensory impairments. , orthostatic hypotension, diabetes mellitus, common mental disorder, osteoporosis, asthma, bronchitis, dizziness, insomnia and emphysema. It is concluded that falls are recurrent in the female elderly population and cause dysfunctions, limitations in daily activities, fear of falling, reduced functional mobility and injuries. Therefore, risk factors for falls in the elderly are associated with quality of life and efforts must be made to reduce their incidence, such as identifying factors contributing to falls and raising awareness about the subject and its consequences for the health of the elderly.