Citation

Han BH, Ferris R, Blaum C. J. Community Health 2014; 39(6): 1241-1247.

Affiliation

Division of Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Care, New York University School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, BCD612, New York, NY, 10016, USA, Benjamin.Han@nyumc.org.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10900-014-9852-8

PMID

24585104

Abstract

Falls are common events that threaten the independence and health of older adults. Studies have found a wide range of fall statistics in different ethnic and racial groups throughout the world. These studies suggest that fall rates may differ between different racial and ethnic groups. Studies also suggest that the location of falls, circumstances of falls, and particular behaviors may also be different by population. Also migration to new locations may alter an individual's fall risk. However, there are few studies that directly compare ethnic and racial differences in falls statistics or examine how known fall risk factors change based on race and ethnicity. This paper reviews the existing literature on how falls may differ between different racial and ethnic groups, highlights gaps in the literature, and explores directions for future research. The focus of this paper is community dwelling older adults and immigrant populations in the United States.

Language: en