OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the associationbetween dizziness complaints, falling fears, and fall occurrencesamongelderly persons. CaseREPORT: This study had a transversal design. Weinterviewed38 persons and used a scale to measure the fear of falling (FES-I-Brazil). The study included subjects,aged 60 years or older, who agreed to participate after an invitation and signed the Instrument of Consent (IC) after obtaining clarification regarding the study. The study excluded older persons with visual impairment without proper correction (use of glasses/lenses) andpatients with moderate or severe dementia as well as those who were using or had the need to use orthotics,prosthetic lower limb (foot, leg),walker,wheelchair, or any combination of these. Of the 38 elderly persons interviewed, 68.4% complained of dizziness, 97.4% had a fearof falling,and 57.9% had fallen after 60 years of age. The mean ageof those who had fallen was significantly higher than the age of thosewho had not fallen (p = 0.015). The elderly who reported dizziness used a significantly higher number of medicines than those who did not report dizziness (p = 0.030). The score on the FES-I-Brazil scale was statistically significant if associated with the number of falls (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: The study showed a high prevalence of dizziness, fear of falling, and fall occurrence among the elderly evaluated and a significant correlation between increasing age and the occurrence of falls, between the dizziness complaints and the number of medications used, and between the FES-I-Brazil score and the number of falls.
