Centre for Policy on Ageing



A community-dwelling sample of people with Parkinson's disease — characteristics of fallers and non-fallers
Author(s)	Ann Ashburn, Emma Stack, Ruth M Pickering
Journal title	Age and Ageing, vol 30, no 1, January 2001
Pages	pp 47-52
Keywords	Parkinson's disease ; Falls ; Mobility ; Living in the community.
Annotation	63 people with Parkinson's disease were recruited through general practices, of whom 40 (64%) had fallen in the previous 12 months. Many factors associated with falling in the general population were associated with Parkinson's disease fallers (e.g. use of multiple medication and greater physical disability). Fallers were more likely to be depressed and anxious than non-fallers. Condition-specific factors associated with falling included greater disease severity, and more marked response to levodopa treatment, including more dyskinesia and on-off phenomena. Fallers took more steps to complete a test of mobility. They also had a shorter functional reach and greater postural sway while completing a dual task than non-fallers. The study confirms the high risk of falling with Parkinson's disease. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-010418219 A
Classmark	CR6: OLF: C4: K4
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing

...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.