TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2013//
TI  - The fall rate of older community-dwelling cancer patients
JO  - Supportive care in cancer
A1  - Puts, Martine T. E.
A1  - Monette, Johanne
A1  - Girre, Veronique
A1  - Wolfson, Christina
A1  - Monette, Michèle
A1  - Batist, Gerald
A1  - Bergman, Howard
SP  - 775
EP  - 783
VL  - 21
IS  - 3
N2  - PURPOSE: Little is known about the incidence of falls in cancer patients receiving cancer treatment. The aims were to explore the number of falls older adults report in the 6 months after cancer diagnosis, and if those with a fall were more frail than those who did not fall. METHODS: Secondary data analysis of a prospective pilot study that recruited patients aged 65 and older with a new cancer diagnosis. At each interview (baseline, 3- and 6-month follow-up), participants were asked if they had a fall in the previous 3 months. The frailty markers and functional status were obtained at baseline, 3- and 6-month follow-up. Chi-square and t tests were used to compare those who had a fall to those who had no fall. Univariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the association between sociodemographic and health characteristics and reporting a fall. RESULTS: Seventeen participants (18.7 %) reported one or more falls in the first 6 months after cancer diagnosis. Fifteen participants reported one or more falls in the 3 months prior to the cancer diagnosis. Those who had a fall and those with no fall were not different in terms of health and functioning. None of the sociodemographic and health characteristics including the frailty markers were associated with a fall. CONCLUSION: A fall is common in cancer patients. More research is needed to examine the risk factors for a fall in older adults receiving cancer treatment.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0941-4355
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00520-012-1579-4
ID  - ref1
ER  -