Fact Sheets and Infographics

Longitudinal Study of People Aging with Long-Term Physical Disabilities: Falls and Participation

  • Longitudinal study of people aging with long-term physical disabilities: Falls and Participation. Background. In the US, falls are the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury leading to death for all ages. More than one in four older adults fall each year. People with early- and midlife-onset of physical disability are also at risk for falls. Information about falling and people aging with long-term physical disability is limited. We surveyed 474 people aging with long-term physical disability (between 45 and 65 years) to: determine the prevalence of falls, fall-related injury, and fear of falling; examine relationships between falls and health conditions; and explore the relationship between falls and community participation. Results. Falls, Injuries, and fear of falling: 65% reported having fallen in the previous year. 74% reported a fear of falling. Of participants who reported a fall, 56% were injured and 40% went to the emergency department.
  • Falls and number of health conditions: 56% of participants with three or fewer health conditions reported a fall, and 70% of participants with four or more health conditions reported a fall. Falls and participation: the US general population average for ability to participate in social roles and activities is a score of 50; our participants without falls scored 47.0, and our participants with falls scored 42.6. The US general population average for satisfaction with participation in social roles and activities is 50; our participants without a fall scored 45.3, and our participants with falls scored 42.5. Our participants, particularly those with falls, reported lower ability to participate in social roles/activities and lower satisfaction with their social roles and activities than the general US population Key Points. People aging with long-term physical disabilities reported falling at higher rates than the general US 65+ population. People aging with long-term physical disabilities who fell had more health conditions than those who did not fall. People aging with long-term physical disabilities who fell reported lower ability to participate in their social roles/activities, and lower satisfaction with their participation, than those who did not fall.

Longitudinal Study of People Aging with Long-Term Physical Disabilities: Evaluation of Time Spent Participating in Activities

Longitudinal Study People Aging with Long-Term Disabilities. Participants wanted to spend more time on physical activity (63.2%), community leisure (49.3%), civic or religious activities (41.3%), social activities/helping others (40.4%), and employment. Participants wanted to spend less time on managing medical conditions (15.8%), interior household chores (13.7%), personal leisure (11.2%), exterior household chores (9.1%), and employment (3.6%). Participants said they spend the right amount of time on managing medical conditions (73.7%), personal leisure (71.2%), civic and religious activities (57.1%), social activities/helping others (57.1%), and employment (55.8%).
Participants’ evaluation of their time spent in various activities

Longitudinal Study of People Aging with Long-Term Physical Disabilities: Qualitative Activity and Participation Information

How participants feel about their health and participation

Longitudinal Study of People Aging with Long-Term Physical Disabilities: Sociodemographics

Sociodemographic characteristics of our cohort study participants

Development of a Community-Based Research Network

  • Fact Sheet depicting the development of our community-based research network
  • Page 2 of the Fact Sheet on our community-based research network

Community Participation for People Aging with Long-term Disability

  • Fact sheet of differences in participation between younger and older people who are aging with disabilities
  • Page 2 of fact sheet of differences in participation between younger and older people who are aging with disabilities