TABLE 4—
Multivariable-Adjusted Odds Ratios (95% Confidence Intervals [CI] for Indoor and Outdoor Fallers
| Odds Ratio (95% CI)a | |||
| Risk factors | Fell outdoors | Fell indoors | Indoor vs Outdoor Fallsb (P) |
| Quintile of metabolic equivalent hours of leisure-time physical activity per month during past year | .02 | ||
| 1st quintile (0–12) | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| 2nd quintile (13–52) | 1.08 (0.64, 1.81) | 1.18 (0.73, 1.91) | |
| 3rd quintile (53–98) | 1.88 (1.16, 3.04) | 1.00 (0.60, 1.67) | |
| 4th quintile (99–184) | 2.43 (1.51, 3.92) | 1.04 (0.61, 1.77) | |
| 5th quintile (≥ 185) | 2.33 (1.44, 3.78) | 1.54 (0.92, 2.55) | |
| Health-related characteristics | |||
| Number of self-reported practitioner-diagnosed diseasesc | <.01 | ||
| 0 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| 1 | 0.76 (0.53, 1.08) | 1.80 (1.18, 2.77) | |
| 2 | 1.11 (0.74, 1.67) | 1.49 (0.87, 2.54) | |
| ≥ 3 | 1.00 (0.62, 1.61) | 2.35 (1.38, 4.03) | |
| Number of physical difficultiesd | .01 | ||
| 0 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| 1 | 0.79 (0.55, 1.13) | 0.80 (0.50, 1.28) | |
| 2–3 | 0.85 (0.57, 1.28) | 1.31 (0.82, 2.08) | |
| 4–5 | 1.11 (0.66, 1.89) | 1.70 (0.97, 2.98) | |
| ≥ 6 | 0.57 (0.20, 1.59) | 4.23 (2.14, 8.38) | |
| Number of lower-extremity neuromuscular symptomse | .85 | ||
| 0 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| 1 | 1.90 (1.37, 2.62) | 1.96 (1.31, 2.91) | |
| 2–3 | 1.74 (1.20, 2.53) | 2.01 (1.32, 3.06) | |
| Use of walking aid f | .95 | ||
| None | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Any | 1.63 (0.94, 2.83) | 1.60 (0.95, 2.69) | |
| Lifestyle factors | |||
| Cigarette smoking | .29 | ||
| Never | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Current/past | 1.35 (1.03, 1.78) | 1.10 (0.79, 1.51) | |
| Alcohol consumption during past year | .91 | ||
| No | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 1.65 (1.20, 2.26) | 1.69 (1.18, 2.42) | |
aEach odds ratio was adjusted by a multinomial logistic regression model for all other variables presented in this table and for gender, age, Kaiser-reported race/ethnicity, and college education. N = 1995, of whom 285 fell indoors, 200 fell indoors, and 1510 did not fall.
b Wald tests for equivalence of odds ratios between risk factors for outdoor and indoor falls.
cDiseases queried were diabetes, angina, heart attack or heart failure, stroke or blood clot in the brain, epilepsy, seizures, convulsions or fits, kidney disease, cataracts, glaucoma, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, depression, cancer, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism.
dActivities of daily living include using the telephone, getting groceries, getting to places outside of walking distance, preparing meals, doing chores around the house, taking medications, and handling finances.
eInability to do or have difficulty with heavy housework; walking up and down stairs; walking half a mile without help; pushing/pulling a large object; stooping, crouching, or kneeling; lifting or carrying 10 pounds; reaching or extending arms above shoulder; and writing or handling small objects.
fIncludes 14 foot problems: flat feet, high arches, lateral deviation of big toe, hammer toe or claw-like toe, bunions on feet, corns on feet, calluses on feet, Plantars warts on feet, ingrown toenails, painful toenails, cold feet most of time, arthritis of the toe, arthritis of feet, and other.