Dual Sensory Impairment Predicts an Increased Risk of Postdischarge Falls in Older Patients

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the associations of vision impairment, hearing impairment, and comorbid vision and hearing impairment [ie, dual sensory impairment (DSI)] on admission to hospital with falls within 3 months of discharge in older patients.

Design: This prospective multicenter study included patients admitted to and discharged from geriatric wards at 3 university hospitals and 1 national medical center in Japan between October 2019 and July 2023.

Setting and participants: Of 1848 individuals enrolled during the study period, 1141 were excluded, leaving 707 for inclusion in the analysis.

Methods: Participants' background factors were compared in terms of whether they had a fall during the 3 months postdischarge. Logistic regression analysis was then performed using the presence or absence of falls after discharge as the objective variable. Three models were created using vision impairment, hearing impairment, and DSI as covariates. Other covariates included physical function, cognitive function, and depression. In addition, logistic regression analysis was performed with falls during hospitalization as the objective variable.

Results: DSI was significantly more common in the falls group (P = .004). Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of falls after discharge was higher in patients with DSI (odds ratio 3.432, P = .006) than in those with vision or hearing impairment alone. When adjusted for physical function, cognitive function, depression, and discharge location, DSI was significantly associated with an increased risk of falls after discharge (odds ratio 3.107, P = .021). The association between DSI and falls during hospitalization did not reach statistical significance, but a trend was observed.

Conclusions and implications: This study is the first to show an association between DSI and falls after discharge. Simple interventions for patients with DSI may be effective in preventing falls, and we suggest that they be actively implemented early during hospitalization.

Keywords: Dual sensory impairment; falls; hearing impairment; vison impairment.