Population ageing is one of society's most significant events and over the years it has become increasingly significant, particularly in developing countries. In Brazil, the population segment represented by the elderly is the fastest growing, and by 2050, projections suggest that 30 per cent of Brazilians will be represented by people aged 60 or over, at which point the country will rank sixth among those with the highest number of elderly people. At the same time as demographic changes, there are changes in morbidity and mortality patterns characterised by an increase in chronic degenerative diseases and factors that can result in dependency and a lower quality of life, particularly falls. In addition to its debilitating nature, falls are important in the public health scenario due to their high prevalence, which burdens the health system as the demand for medical and hospital care to treat associated injuries increases. There is still a need for studies on the factors associated with falls in primary care, given the growing number of elderly people assisted by the Family Health Strategy (ESF).