Abstract:
Abstract
Background: Fall is one of the most common and potentially disabling issues among
people with visual impairment. Fall is a major public health problem and the leading
cause of unintentional injury, disability and premature death worldwide. Over 80% of fall
related fatalities occur in low- and middle-income countries but the magnitude and
factors associated with falls in visual impairment population in Ethiopia were limited.
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of self reported fall and
associated risk factors among visually impaired adults in University of Gondar
specialized hospital in North West Ethiopia, 2018.
Methods: An institutional based cross sectional study was conducted among adult
people with visual impairment who were attending ophthalmology clinic in University of
Gondar specialized hospital from March 2018 to June 2018. Data were collected by
both interview methods using structured questionnaire and physical measurement. A
bivariate and multivariable binary logistic regression model analysis was used to identify
factors associated with fall. Adjusted Odds Ratio
Results: A total of 328 participants were included in the study, with a response rate of
97.3%. The age of the participants ranged from 25 years to 89 years with mean age of
Conclusion: A moderate self-reported prevalence with high rate of fall related injuries
was reported by the visually impaired participants in this study. The results indicate that
strategies to provide fall prevention environment should be developed to reduce this
impact of visual impairment and reduce fall and fall related injuries.
Keywords: Fall, Visually impaired, Fall-related injuries, Ethiopia
