Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between a history of falls and being homebound in elderly diabetic patients.
Methods: The subjects were diabetic patients ≥65 years old visiting the outpatient clinic of Ise Red Cross Hospital. Patients were defined as being confined if they went out less than once a day, and their history of falls in the past year was investigated. Adjusted odds ratios for being homebound were calculated using a logistic regression analysis with a dependent variable of being homebound and explanatory variables of a history of falls and adjustment factors (age, sex, duration of diabetes, HbA1c, cardiovascular disease, cognitive and functional decline, depression, living alone, isolation, and diabetes treatment).
Results: A total of 564 patients (319 men and 245 women) were included in the study. The numbers of patients with a history of falls and who were homebound were 198 (35.1%) and 88 (15.6%), respectively. The adjusted odds ratio for being homebound to a history of falls was 2.69 (95% confidence interval, 1.31 to 5.52; P=0.007).
Conclusion: In this study, a history of falls was significantly associated with being homebound. It is important to pay close attention to homebound elderly diabetic patients with a history of falls.
Keywords: Being homebound; Elderly diabetes mellitus; Falls.