Fatores associados a quedas em pacientes idosos ambulatoriais menos ativos e mais ativos

BACKGROUND: Fall-related factors in older adults with different levels of physical activity, within a multidimensional approach, have not been widely investigated. OBJECTIVE: To explore fall-related factors among older adults with different physical activity levels. METHODS: A cross-sectional, exploratory study with 118 older adult outpatients. Participants who reported at least one fall in the previous 12 months were considered fallers. The activity level was assessed through the Human Activity Profile. A cutoff of 54 points was used to define the less active group and the more active group. A multidimensional questionnaire and a set of physical functioning tests were applied. RESULTS: Fall prevalence was lower among the more active older adults (47.4%) when compared with the less active older adults (71.4%) (p<0.013). Logistic regression analysis showed that, among the more active group, falls were associated with: depressive symptoms (OR=0.747, 95%CI=0.575-0.970; p=0.029), concern about falling (OR=1.17, 95%CI=1.072-1.290; p=0.001), and self-selected walking speed (OR=0.030, 95%CI=0.004-0.244; p=0.001). For the less active group, the model was composed of age (OR=1.197, 95%CI=1.032-1.387; p=0.017) and functional disability (OR=14.447, 95%CI=1.435-145.45; p=0.023). CONCLUSION: For the more active older adults, reduced self-efficacy suggests that falling can trigger some protective behavior, such as slower gait and depressive symptoms, but the casual link between falls and these outcomes should be further investigated. These data emphasize that physical therapists should be aware that there are differences in fall-related factors depending on the older patients' physical activity level, and this must be considered when planning interventions for this population.CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: Fatores relacionados a quedas em idosos com diferentes níveis de atividade física, por meio de uma abordagem multidimensional, não têm sido amplamente investigados. OBJETIVO: Explorar os fatores relacionados a quedas em idosos com diferentes níveis de atividade física. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal exploratório com 118 pacientes idosos ambulatoriais. Participantes que relataram ao menos uma queda nos últimos 12 meses foram considerados caidores. O nível de atividade física foi avaliado por meio do Perfil de Atividade Humana (PAH). O ponto de corte de 54 pontos foi usado para definir o grupo menos ativo e o grupo mais ativo. Um questionário multidimensional e uma bateria de testes físico-funcionais foram utilizados. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de quedas foi menor no grupo de idosos mais ativos (47,4%) quando comparada à dos idosos menos ativos (71,4%) (p