LAUSR

Background: The dramatic shift in the global population demographic has resulted in increasing numbers of older people undergoing hospitalisation. Our objective was to determine whether hospitalisation is associated with an increased incidence of subsequent falls and syncope. Methods: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) is a longitudinal populationrepresentative cohort study of community-dwelling adults aged 50 and older in Ireland. Wave 1 took place between 2009–2010 and wave 2 between 2012–2013. The study design is quantitative. Participants: 8,175 individuals aged 50 and older took part in wave 1. Data from 6,843 were available for analysis at wave 2. 862 (mean age 66.0, 53.8% female) reported hospitalisation within 12 months preceding wave 1 and 5,981 (mean age 63.7, 54.4% female) reported no hospitalisation. Measurements: The frequency of falls and syncope episodes was assessed in 6,843 individuals at wave 2 of TILDA following exposure to hospitalisation preceding wave 1. Poisson regression and ordered logistic regression models were used to investigate the hypothesis after adjustment for risk factors for falls and syncope, and potential confounders. Results: There was a 39% increased adjusted incidence rate of falls at wave 2 in those exposed to hospitalisation at wave 1 (IRR [95% CI] = [1.13, 1.71], p = 0.002) compared to those with no hospitalisation. There was a 61% increased adjusted incidence rate of syncope at wave 2 in those exposed to hospitalisation at wave 1 (IRR [95% CI] = [1.15, 2.27], p = 0.01) compared to those with no hospitalisation. Conclusion: Hospitalisation is associated with a subsequent increased incidence of both falls and syncope in older individuals living in the community. This is the first time a longitudinal population-representative study has demonstrated this relationship.