Effect of chronic pain on the occurrence of falls in older adults with disabilities: a prospective cohort study

Background The relationship between chronic pain and the occurrence of falls in healthy older adults has been clarified in previous studies, but its relationship in older adults with disabilities has not. Objective This study aimed to determine whether chronic pain is related to the occurrence of falls in older adults with disabilities. Methods The participants were 101 older adults above 65 years old who used long-term care insurance services in Japan. Of these, 30 were fallers and 71 were non-fallers. Chronic pain, defined as pain lasting more than three months, was assessed using questionnaires, and the falls' occurrence was followed up for six months using a fall calendar. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the data, with falls as the dependent variable, chronic pain as the independent variable, and age, sex, body mass index, number of drugs, sleep disorders, and depression as covariates. Results After adjusting for covariates, chronic pain significantly influenced the occurrence of falls (odds ratio: 3.168, 95% confidence interval: 1.057-9.495, p = .04). Conclusion Chronic pain was related to the occurrence of falls in older adults with disabilities. There is a need to focus on chronic pain presence in falls' prevention among older adults with disabilities.