Falls, elderly women and the cold

Abstract

In a prospective study of falls in 761 subjects 70 years and over an increase in the rate of falls in winter was observed in women but not men. When the daily minimum temperature fell to 1 degrees C or less the relative risk of falling in women increased to 1.53 (95% confidence intervals 1.21-1.84). We discuss measures to decrease this seasonal increase in the rate of falls.