ArticleThe journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences2020
The Five W's of Falls: Weekly Online Health Survey of Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Analysis of 4 Years Prospective Follow-up.
Article in The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Reporting race and ethnicity in aging in place research: A systematic review.The Gerontologist · 2026Pooled it
- Toward An Improved Reporting of Fall Circumstances Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Reporting Guide for the 6 W's of Falls.Journal of frailty, sarcopenia and falls · 2026Review
- Wrist-worn voice recorders capture the circumstances and context of losses of balance among community-dwelling older adults.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2025Observational
- A survey for characterizing details of fall events experienced by lower limb prosthesis users.PloS one · 2022Article
- When Will My Patient Fall? Sensor-Based In-Home Walking Speed Identifies Future Falls in Older Adults.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2020Article
- Fall-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations among community-dwelling older adults: examination of health problems and injury characteristics.BMC geriatrics · 2019Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundAn in-depth examination of prospectively collected falls details may facilitate more effective falls prevention. Who was involved? What happened? Where did the fall take place? When did it happen? Why did it occur? This study aimed to provide previously unavailable details about the circumstances surrounding fall events and their consequences.
methodA retrospective analysis of falls prospectively self-reported by older adults via an online weekly health form over 4 years.
resultsWe collected 371 falls during the 4 year time period from 120 clinically characterized fallers (74% women, mean age 83.3 years). Most of the 371 falls occurred indoors (62%) and in well-lit areas (81%). Bedrooms were the most common places for in-home falls. Commonly observed precipitating factors included loss of balance, slipping or tripping. Almost one-third (31%) of falls were defined as injurious whereas 22% resulted in a change in the walking ability of which 26% led to the use of a cane or walker. Among falls that did not give rise to any formal health care intervention, 8% resulted in a modification of walking ability.
conclusionsA relatively high rate of fall-related injuries compared to the existing literature was observed. Online weekly surveys and the richness of details provided through these data capture method allowed us to identify falls that did not result in health care utilization but did result in decreased mobility. This finding suggests why some falls classified in the literature as noninjurious may nevertheless increase the risk of loss of autonomy and undesired outcomes.
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Registered trials
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