Home accidents in the community-dwelling elderly in Izmir, Turkey: how do prevalence and risk factors differ between high and low socioeconomic districts?

Objective: To determine and compare the prevalence of and risk factors for home accidents in the elderly in two different districts.

Method: This cross-sectional study involves 497 older participants ages 65 and older. Sociodemographic characteristics of the elderly and characteristics of the houses in two different regions are evaluated. Data are analyzed by chi-square and t test.

Results: The prevalence of home accidents was 39.3% in the low socioeconomic region and 13.1% in the high socioeconomic region within the past 6 months (p = .000). The most common type of home accident was fall (61.8%), followed by cut or piercing (22.0%). Home accidents are associated with being female and increasing age in the higher socioeconomic region, whereas being female, being unmarried, and living in a squatter house are associated with home accidents in the low socioeconomic region.

Discussion: The prevalence of home accidents in the elderly population who live in low socioeconomic region was higher.