[CONSEQUENCES OF FALLS IN A GERIATRIC NURSING CENTER FOR VALID. DESCRIPTIVE STUDY]. / Consecuencias de las caídas en un centro geriátrico para ancianos válidos. ESTUDIO DESCRIPTIVO.

OBJECTIVE: To address the immediate consequences produced in the falls suffered by valid institutionalized elderly population' in the last twelve months. METHOD: A cross sectional study, by personal interview. Simple random sampling was performed. The study area corresponded to a private nursing home. The measuring instruments used in the study were the Mini Mental State Examination Lobo (MEC-35, 1979) to initially assess the level of cognitive development elderly study participants, and the WHO questionnaire for the study of falls in the elder 1989. RESULTS: Of the 21 drops produced in the last twelve months was found that 61.9% of falls were female, compared to 38.1% who relapsed in males. 52.4% of falls are not caused any consequences. 28.6% of falls caused superficial injuries and/or bruises, while the proportion of fractures corresponded to 19% for both sexes. Most of the falls did not produce immediate consequences whose percentage was 52.4% of cases. Second are superficial wounds and/or bruises with 28.6% and finally fractures with a ratio of 19%. CONCLUSIONS: The investigators considered the necessity of involvement of health professionals and the implementation ofpreventive strategies that can reduce the prevalence of falls. Thiswill successfully improve the quality of life of the elderly.

Consecuencias de las caídas en un centro geriátrico para ancianos válidos. Estudio descriptivo / Consequences of falls in a geriatric nursing center for valid. Descriptive study

Objetivo. Conocer las consecuencias inmediatas producidas en las caídas que sufre la población anciana válida institucionalizada en los últimos doce meses. Método. Estudio descriptivo trasversal, mediante entrevista personal. Se realizó un muestreo aleatorio simple. El ámbito de estudio correspondió a un centro geriátrico privado. Los instrumentos de medida utilizados en el estudio fueron el Mini Examen Cognoscitivo de Lobo (MEC-35, 1979) para valorar inicialmente el nivel cognitivo de los ancianos participantes en el estudio, y el cuestionario de la OMS para el estudio de caídas en el anciano 1989. Resultados. De las 21 caídas producidas en los últimos doce meses se comprobó que el 61.9 % de ellas correspondieron al sexo femenino, frente al 38.1 %, que recayeron en el sexo masculino. En el 52.4 % de los casos, las caídas no ocasionaron ninguna consecuencia. El 28.6 % de las caídas ocasionaron heridas superficiales o contusiones, mientras que la proporción de fracturas correspondió a un 19 % para ambos sexos. La mayoría de las caídas no produjeron consecuencias inmediatas (el 52.4 % de los casos). En segundo lugar, encontramos las heridas superficiales o contusiones, con un 28.6 %, y finalmente las fracturas, con una proporción del 19 %. Conclusiones: Los investigadores del estudio consideran necesario la implicación de los profesionales sanitarios y la implementación de estrategias preventivas que logren disminuir la prevalencia de caídas. Esto permitirá mejorar satisfactoriamente la calidad de vida de nuestros mayores (AU)

Objective. To address the immediate consequences produced in the falls suffered by valid institutionalized elderly population in the last twelve months. Method. A cross sectional study, by personal interview. Simple random sampling was performed. The study area corresponded to a private nursing home. The measuring instruments used in the study were the Mini Mental State Examination Lobo (MEC- 35, 1979) to initially assess the level of cognitive development elderly study participants, and the WHO questionnaire for the study of falls in the elder 1989. Results. Of the 21 drops produced in the last twelve months was found that 61.9 % of falls were female, compared to 38.1 % who relapsed in males. 52.4 % of falls are not caused any consequences. 28.6 % of falls caused superficial injuries and/or bruises, while the proportion of fractures corresponded to 19 % for both sexes. Most of the falls did not produce immediate consequences whose percentage was 52.4 % of cases. Second are superficial wounds and/or bruises with 28.6 % and finally fractures with a ratio of 19 %. Conclusions. The investigators considered the necessity of involvement of health professionals and the implementation of preventive strategies that can reduce the prevalence of falls. This will successfully improve the quality of life of the elderly (AU)