Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31918674›Full record

Observational studyBMC geriatrics2020

Risk of falls and fear of falling in older adults residing in public housing in Ontario, Canada: findings from a multisite observational study.

Melissa Pirrie, Guneet Saini, Ricardo Angeles, Francine Marzanek, Jenna Parascandalo, Gina Agarwal

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC geriatrics, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 29 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
29citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
13.7field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

29 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 55 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Elderly patients and falls: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Aging clinical and experimental research · 2021
    Pooled it
  3. Trial
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  7. Shelter to Survival: Unpacking the Health Impacts of Housing Insecurity Across the Life Course.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026
    Review
  8. Fear of Falling and its Associations with Functional and Psychosocial Factors among Older Adults in Rural Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India: A Cross-Sectional Study.Indian journal of community medicine : official publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine · 2025
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Melissa PirrieDepartment of Family Medicine, McMaster University, David Braley Health Sciences Centre, 100 Main Street West, 5th Floor, Hamilton, ON, L8P 1H6, Canada.
Guneet SainiDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada.
Ricardo AngelesDepartment of Family Medicine, McMaster University, David Braley Health Sciences Centre, 100 Main Street West, 5th Floor, Hamilton, ON, L8P 1H6, Canada.
Francine MarzanekDepartment of Family Medicine, McMaster University, David Braley Health Sciences Centre, 100 Main Street West, 5th Floor, Hamilton, ON, L8P 1H6, Canada.
Jenna ParascandaloDepartment of Family Medicine, McMaster University, David Braley Health Sciences Centre, 100 Main Street West, 5th Floor, Hamilton, ON, L8P 1H6, Canada.
Gina AgarwalDepartment of Family Medicine, McMaster University, David Braley Health Sciences Centre, 100 Main Street West, 5th Floor, Hamilton, ON, L8P 1H6, Canada. gina.agarwal@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0002-5691-4675
Health Sciences Centre · CAImpact · CA

Funding

CIHR 133563
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFalls in older adults is a widely researched topic. However, older adults residing in public housing are a vulnerable population that may have unique risk factors for falls. This study aims to describe the prevalence and risk factors for falls, fear of falling, and seeking medical attending for falls in this population.

methodsSociodemographic and health-related data was collected as part of a community-based health assessment program with older adults in public housing. Three pre-screening questions identified individuals at potential risk for falls; individuals who screened positive performed the objective Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. Logistic regression was used to evaluate risk factors for four outcome variables: falls in the past year, seeking medical attention for falls, fear of falling, and objectively measured fall risk via TUG test.

resultsA total of 595 participants were evaluated, of which the majority were female (81.3%), white (86.7%), did not have a high school diploma (50.0%), and reported problems in mobility (56.2%). The prevalence of falls in the past year was 34.5%, seeking medical attention for falls was 20.2% and fear of falling was 38.8%. The TUG test was completed by 257 participants. Notably, males had significantly reduced odds of seeking medical attention for a fall (OR = 0.50, 95%CI 0.25-0.98) and having a fear of falling (OR = 0.42, 95%CI 0.24-0.76); daily fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with decreased odds of having a fall in the past year (OR = 0.55, 95%CI 0.37-0.83), and alcohol consumption was associated with increased odds of fear of falling (OR = 1.72, 95%CI 1.03-2.88).

conclusionOlder adults residing in public housing have unique risk factors associated with social determinants of health, such as low fruit and vegetable consumption, which may increase their risk for falls. The findings of this study can be used to inform falls interventions for this population and identify areas for further research.

Indexed as

Accidental FallsPostural BalancePublic HousingAgedFearFemaleHumansMaleOntarioRisk FactorsTime and Motion StudiesFall riskFear of fallingLow incomeOlder adultsPublic housingSocial determinants of health

Identifiers

PMID31918674
PMCPMC6953160
OpenAlexW3012343610

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.