Burden of falls among elderly persons in India: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational prevalence studies
PubMed 34045371 · doi:10.4103/0970-258X.316253
What was done
The authors conducted a systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis to determine the community-based pooled prevalence of falls among elderly individuals in India. They searched PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, IndMed, Embase, and WHO databases without date restrictions for community-based original studies conducted in India.
What was found
Across 16 included studies encompassing 14,844 elderly persons, 2,707 reported falling. The pooled prevalence of falls was 31% (95% CI 23%-39%). Significant statistical heterogeneity was present across the included studies (I² = 98.08%, p < 0.01).
Why it matters
This review establishes a pooled national benchmark indicating that nearly one in three community-dwelling older adults in India experiences falls, providing data to inform fall-prevention and rehabilitation programmes.
Limits
The primary studies showed extreme statistical heterogeneity (I² = 98.08%), substantial methodological variation, and limited overall quality. The abstract provides no data on fall-related injuries, specific time-recall windows, or geographic distribution across India.
Cited by
- contradicts In cultures where people habitually sit, eat, and use the toilet on the floor, fall risk is near zero.