Abstract
Background: Fall is a common condition in especially elderly people with diabetes and has many risk factors. Objective: To explore associated factors with fall in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study on 228 patients ≥ 60 years old at the National Hospital of Geriatrics from February to August 2018 diagnosed with type 2 diabetes according to WHO 2006 criteria. Patients were interviewed using a designed questionnaire including the history of falls in the past 12 months, body mass index (BMI), HbA1C levels, diabetes complications and depression. Results: The rate of falls in the last 12 months of the study subjects was 31.1%. Elderly diabetic patients with advanced age, depression and using many drugs had a higher rate of falls in the past 12 months than patients of younger age, without depression and not using many drugs (with p<0.05). Gender, BMI, duration of diabetes, HbA1c levels, peripheral neuropathy and diabetic eye complications were not associated with falls (p>0.05). Conclusion: The rate of falls in elderly diabetic patients is quite high. Factors associated with falls in elderly diabetic patients are: advanced age, depression, and multiple drug use.