Falls among institutionalized elderly--a prospective study in four institutions in Finland.

We analyzed prospectively the incidence, the intrinsic and extrinsic factors and the consequences of falls during a 7-month period in 4 institutions in Finland in 1993. A total of 370 falls among 160 patients were recorded. Of the fallers 56% fell once and 44% more than once (range 2-24). The mean fall rate in men was higher than that in women (p < 0.01). Fallen men were younger but less ambulatory than women. Of the falls 95% occurred without eyewitness and 27% during the night shift; 30% (114/370) resulted in an injury and 7% (11/160) of the fallers suffered a fracture.

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