TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2019//
TI  - Dizziness and its association with walking speed and falls efficacy among older men and women in an urban population
JO  - Aging clinical and experimental research
A1  - Lindell, Ellen
A1  - Kollén, Lena
A1  - Johansson, Mia
A1  - Karlsson, Therese
A1  - Rydén, Lina
A1  - Zettergren, Anna
A1  - Frandin, Kerstin
A1  - Skoog, Ingmar
A1  - Finizia, Caterina
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - BACKGROUND: Dizziness is common among older people and falling is a feared complication. <br><br>AIM: The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of dizziness and its association with falls, walking speed and fear of falling, including sex differences, among 79-year-olds. Secondary purposes were to describe the relationship between dizziness and falls to number of medications and diseases. <br><br>METHOD: The study consisted of the fifth cohort of Gothenburg's H70 birth cohort studies. A sample of 662 79-year-olds (404 women, 258 men) were investigated with questions regarding dizziness, previous falls and falls efficacy [estimated according to the falls efficacy scale Swedish version (FES (S))]. Functional tests included self-selected and maximal walking speed over 20 m. <br><br>RESULTS: Dizziness was reported among 51% of the women and by 58% of the men (p = 0.12). Approximately, 40% had fallen during the past 12 months (41% women, 38% of the men, p = 0.48). Dizziness was related to a higher risk of falls among women (OR 2.63 (95% CI 1.67-4.14, p < 0.0001), but not among men (OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.63-1.82, p = 0.8). Dizzy individuals had lower scores on FES (S) (p < 0.01), more medications (p < 0.001) and diseases (p < 0.001) than those without dizziness. Participants who reported dizziness walked 10% slower than participants without dizziness (p < 0.001). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Women with dizziness more often reported falls compared to women without dizziness-a trend that was not seen among men. Persons with dizziness walked slower. Many medications increased risk of falling; hence, number of medications alone might help pinpoint risk groups for falling.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1594-0667
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40520-019-01303-6
ID  - ref1
ER  -