Falls in the elderly is a complex multifactorial phenomenon. However, very little is known about the prevalence of falls in the community-dwelling older adults in India. This paper is a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies (published between 2000 to 2020) that have estimated the prevalence of falls in community-dwelling older adults in India. The analysis revealed that the pooled prevalence of falls among the Community-dwelling older adults in India was 25.53 per cent (95% CI 19.91–32.75). Stratified analysis showed that the prevalence of falls among older adults residing in rural areas was 24.84 per cent (95% CI 17.00–36.29). No significant difference was observed in the percentage of prevalence between males 12.09 per cent (95% CI 8.17–20.65) and females 12.08 per cent (95% CI 9.93–14.70). No other stratified analysis on age and risk factors was obtained. It may be concluded that the sparse data limit our understanding of falls among the community-dwelling older adults in India. However, a prevalence of 25 per cent in absolute numbers (26 million) is alarming. Thus, further research is needed to explore the factors which influence falls among community-dwelling older adults in India.
Prevalence, Falls, Meta-analysis, Older adults, India.
