Views and Expectations of Community-Dwelling Thai Elderly in Reporting Falls to Their Primary Care Physicians: A Mixed-Methods Study

Fall among older adults is a concern in Thailand. The challenge for primary care physicians is to deliver effective interventions potentially adhered to by older people. This research employed a mixed-methods design to understand factors leading to fall reporting by community-dwelling Thai elders and their expectations regarding fall prevention education. Participants (N = 305) who had fallen in the last year completed a questionnaire in the quantitative phase, and 50 of these were interviewed in-depth in the qualitative phase. Results revealed that only 39% reported their fall. Participants with comorbidities were 1.6 times more likely to report falling than those without (odds ratio = 1.61, confidence interval = [1.01, 2.58]). Post-fall pain (84%) was the strongest reason for reporting. Some participants believed that falling is an inevitable life event. It is crucial to encourage older adults to report falling, to provide targeted education, and to focus on improving the overall health status of older adults.