Risk for falls among community-dwelling older people: systematic literature review

Undetected falls among older adults attending medical clinics in four tertiary care centres in Sri Lanka; the need of a comprehensive geriatric assessment

OBJECTIVE

Falls take a high priority among the prevalent medical conditions in old age. Despite this, a history of falls or the risk of future falls is not routinely assessed or properly managed in medical clinics in Sri Lanka. This study was done to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with falls and recurrent falls among older adults attending medical clinics in four selected tertiary care centres in the country.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out at four centres (Teaching Hospital Karapitiya, Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Colombo North Teaching Hospital and University Hospital-Kotelawala Defence University) with 704 older adults, aged 65 years and above, attending medical clinics for more than six consecutive months. Information related to falls and possible associated factors (socio-demographic, behavioural, environmental and biological) were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire.

RESULTS

The Mean (SD) age of the participants was 72.5(5.5) years and 58.7% were females. Of the 704 total sample, 220 (31.3%, 95% CI 28-35%) participants experienced at least one fall after the age of 65, and 12.8% (95% CI 10-15%) (n = 90) experienced recurrent falls (two or more falls within the last 12 months). Falls were associated with gender, level of education, marital status, and physical dependence (p < 0.01). For those who had at least one fall, multiple logistic regression (MLR) revealed being single (p = 0.03, OR = 2.12, 95% CI; 1.052-4.304), being widowed/divorced/separated (p = 0.03, OR = 1.47, 95% CI; 1.039-2.093) compared to living with a spouse, presence of moderate (p = 0.007, OR = 1.72, 95% CI; 1.160-2.577) and severe (p = 0.001, OR = 2.98, 95% CI; 1.563-5.688) physical dependency compared to mild physical dependency as risk factors for falls. Having secondary education (p = 0.01, OR = 0.55, 0.350-0.876) was a protective factor for falls. For those with recurrent falls, MLR showed moderate physical dependency (p = 0.001, OR = 2.34, 95% CI; 1.442-3.821) compared to slight physical dependency as a risk factor.

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately one-third of the older adults attending medical clinics had experienced at least a single fall, and one-eighth have had recurrent falls, which were mostly unrecorded and not clinically assessed. Physical dependency was the major contributing factor to falls and recurrent falls. Falls assessment should be included in the routine clinical assessment of older adults attending outdoor medical clinics. Health professionals should be educated to detect and assess those at risk of falling and take appropriate measures to prevent or minimize falls.

A study on the falls factors among the older adult with cognitive impairment based on large-sample data

Introduction

This study explored the correlative factors of falls among the older adult with cognitive impairment, to provide distinct evidence for preventing falls in the older adult with cognitive impairment compared with the general older adult population.

Methods

This study was based on a cross-sectional survey, with an older adult population of 124,124 was included. The data was sourced from the Elderly Care Unified Needs Assessment for Long-Term Care Insurance in Shanghai. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted sequentially on the correlative factors of falls. Multivariable logistic regression was performed on variables that were significant, stratified by cognitive function levels.

Results

The incidence of fall in the past 90 days was 17.67% in this study. Specific variables such as gender (male), advanced age (≥80), residence with a elevator (or lift), mild or moderate disability, quality of sleep (acceptable/poor) were negatively correlated with falls, while higher education level, living alone, residence with indoor steps, unclean and untidy living environment, MCI or dementia, chronic diseases, restricted joints, impaired vision, and the use of diaper were positively correlative factors of falls. Comparing with older adult with normal cognitive functions, older adult with dementia faced a higher risk of falling due to accessibility barrier in the residence. For general older adults, less frequency of going outside and poor social interactions were positively correlated with falls, while for older adult with cognitive impairments, going outside moderately (sometimes) was found positively correlated with falls. Older adults with cognitive impairments have increased fall risks associated with chronic diseases, restricted joints, and the use of diaper. The risk of falling escalated with the greater number of chronic diseases.

Discussion

For older adult with cognitive impairments, it is advisable to live with others. Additionally, creating an accessible living environment and maintaining the cleanness and tidiness can effectively reduce the risk of falls, particularly for those with MCI or dementia. Optimal outdoor activity plans should be developed separately based on the cognitive function of older adults. Older adult with dementia who have comorbidities should be paid special attention in fall prevention compared to the general older adult population.

Effectiveness of a sensorimotor exercise program on proprioception, balance, muscle strength, functional mobility and risk of falls in older people

Introduction

Sensory systems provide the necessary information for a motor response to be provided. In this sense, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a sensorimotor exercise program on proprioceptive acuity, balance, muscle strength, functional mobility and risk of falls in institutionalized elderly.

Methodology

56 participants (84.6 ± 8.4 years) were randomly distributed between the control (CG, n = 28) and intervention groups (IG, n = 28). The CG performed a protocol based on warm-up, muscle strengthening and warm down and the IG performed the same intervention, with the addition of sensorimotor exercises. Joint Position Sensation (JPS) was evaluated in both limbs at angles of 20° and 45°, balance, functional mobility, fear of falling in the elderly and muscle strength of quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors and abductors in both limbs, before and after the 12 weeks of intervention.

Results

Both groups showed gains in muscle strength. When analyzing functionality through Timed Up and Go (TUG), before and after for each group separately, both showed a significant difference (CG p = 0.002; IG p < 0.001). For the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) variable, there were significant differences in IG in balance (p < 0.001), gait speed time (s) (p = 0.004) and sit-to-stand (p = 0.002). In JPS, significant differences were recorded for Absolute Error 45° Non-Dominant (p = 0.045) and Relative Error 45° Non-Dominant (p = 0.045) in the CG and Relative Error 45° Non-Dominant for IG (p = 0.018). In the Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES-I) variable there were significant improvements in the CG (p = 0.006) and in the GI (p = 0.002). However, only IG showed significant improvements (p = 0.013) for Activities-Specific Balance Confident (ABC) in a comparison between before and after the 12-week research period. When comparing the differences verified with the intervention between CG and IG, only balance SPPB (p < 0.001) and sit-to-stand SPPB (p = 0.022) showed significant values.

Conclusion

He effectiveness of sensorimotor exercises provides balance gain in the elderly (p < 0.001) and positively impacts their confidence (p = 0.013) when performing their duties. It is concluded that the protocol presented in its different levels of difficulty is effective and important for the quality of life of the institutionalized sedentary elderly.

The Administration of Lemborexant at Admission is Not Associated with Inpatient Falls: A Multicenter Retrospective Observational Study

Purpose

There has been no large-scale investigation into the association between the use of lemborexant, suvorexant, and ramelteon and falls in a large population. This study, serving as a pilot investigation, was aimed at examining the relationship between inpatient falls and various prescribed hypnotic medications at admission.

Patients and Methods

This study was a sub-analysis of a multicenter retrospective observational study conducted over a period of 3 years. The target population comprised patients aged 20 years or above admitted to eight hospitals, including chronic care, acute care, and tertiary hospitals. We extracted data on the types of hypnotic medications prescribed at admission, including lemborexant, suvorexant, ramelteon, benzodiazepines, Z-drugs, and other hypnotics; the occurrence of inpatient falls during the hospital stay; and patients' background information. To determine the outcome of inpatient falls, items with low collinearity were selected and included as covariates in a forced-entry binary logistic regression analysis.

Results

Overall, 150,278 patients were included in the analysis, among whom 3,458 experienced falls. The median age of the entire cohort was 70 years, with men constituting 53.1%. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the prescription of lemborexant, suvorexant, and ramelteon at admission was not significantly associated with inpatient falls.

Conclusion

The administration of lemborexant, suvorexant, and ramelteon at admission may not be associated with inpatient falls.

Timed Up and Go test score and factors associated with a moderate-to-high risk of future falls in patients scheduled for vascular surgeries-a cross-sectional study

Introduction

Peripheral artery and aorta diseases contribute to complex consequences in various areas, as well as increasing physical and mental discomfort resulting from the progressive limitation or loss of functional capacities, in particular in relation to walking, decreased endurance during physical exercise, a drop in effort tolerance, and pain suffered by patients. Limitations in functional capacities also increase the risk of falls. Most falls take place during the performance of simple activities. The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with moderate-to-high risk of future falls in patients scheduled for vascular surgeries.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included patients aged 33-87, scheduled for vascular surgeries. Based on the Timed Up and Go test, patients were categorized as having a moderate-to-high (≥ 10 s) or low risk of falls. Multiple logistic regression was carried out to assess the relationship between fall-risk levels and independent sociodemographic and clinical variables.

Results

Forty-eight percent of patients were categorized as having a moderate-to-high risk of future falls. Females (OR = 1.67; Cl95%: 1.07-2.60) and patients who suffered from hypertension (OR = 2.54; Cl95%: 1.19-5.40) were associated with a moderate-to-high risk of future falls. The Barthel Index correlated negatively (OR = 0.69; Cl95%: 0.59-0.80), while age correlated positively with fall-risk levels (OR = 1.07; Cl95%: 1.02-1.12).

Conclusion

Factors that may be associated with a moderate-to-high risk of future falls in patients scheduled for vascular surgeries include age, female gender, hypertension, and the Barthel Index.

Associations of lower-limb muscle strength performance with static and dynamic balance control among older adults in Taiwan

Background

Aging is an inevitable process of life development. These physical changes can cause a decline in the functional adaptability and health status of older adult individuals.

Aims

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of lower-limb muscle strength performance with static and dynamic balance control among older adults in Taiwan.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study and reviewed data derived from the National Physical Fitness Survey in Taiwan 2015-2016. A total of 20,846 Taiwanese older adult individuals aged 65 years old or older were recruited as study participants. Demographic characteristics, anthropometric assessments, lifestyle habits, and health-related physical fitness measurements from this dataset were analyzed using the chi-square test, one-way analysis of variance, and linear regression analysis. Lower-limb muscle strength performance was classified into 4 groups based on quartile (Quartile 1 [Q1], Quartile 2 [Q2], Quartile 3 [Q3], and Quartile 4 [Q4]) values.

Results

Increased lower-limb muscle strength levels were significantly associated with static balance in men (Q2: β = 2.539, p < 0.0001; Q3: β = 4.590, p < 0.0001; Q4: β = 7.700, p < 0.0001) and women (Q2: β = 2.022, p < 0.0001; Q3: β = 4.179, p < 0.0001; Q4: β = 6.920, p < 0.0001) after adjusting for potential confounders. In addition, we observed that increased lower-limb muscle strength levels were significantly associated with dynamic balance in men (Q2: β = -1.661, p < 0.0001; Q3: β = -2.434, p < 0.0001; Q4: β = -3.091, p < 0.0001) and women (Q2: β = -1.660, p < 0.0001; Q3: β = -2.548, p < 0.0001; Q4: β = -3.196, p < 0.0001) after adjusting for potential confounders.

Conclusion

Lower-limb muscle strength was the most important factor, as it was an improved method for static and dynamic balance control in both genders.

Evaluation of falls in older persons in the emergency department during the early Coronavirus-2019 pandemic and pre-pandemic periods

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics, outcomes and healthcare costs of older patients presented to the emergency department (ED) with falls in the periods before and during the Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

METHODS

Hospital records one year before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic were retrospectively analyzed through "International Statistical Classification of Diseases-10th Revision" codes. Age, gender, falls, triage classification, length of stay (LOS) in the hospital and the ED, COVID-19 status, Glasgow Coma scale, consultations-comorbidities, injury status, outcomes in the ED, and costs were recorded.

RESULTS

The study comprised of 3187 patients aged ≥ 65 years admitted to the ED of a university hospital between March 2019 and 2021. In terms of pre-pandemic and pandemic periods; older patients presenting with falls to the ED, consultations, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and LOS in the ED were lower in the pandemic period, but costs were higher (p = 0.03, p = 0.01, p = 0.01, p = 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively). Hospitalization/mortality rates were higher in COVID-19 positive patients (77.2%) than in COVID-19 negative patients (4.6%) within the pandemic period and the patients in the pre-pandemic period (22.8%), and the costs, as well (both p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Though the number of fall-related presentations of older persons to the ED, comorbidity burden, consultations, and the LOS in the ED was lower, direct costs were higher during the pandemic period, particularly for COVID-19 positive older patients admitted to ED with falls than the pre-pandemic period, and those patients were with poorer outcomes.

Fall Risk in Adult Family Practice Non-Attenders: A Cross-Sectional Study from Slovenia

Introduction

Not much is known about the fall risk among the adult population of those who rarely visit doctors. We wanted to determine the prevalence of increased fall risk in a population of family practice non-attenders and the factors associated with it.

Methods

We included participants from family medicine practices in this cross-sectional study. To be included in the study, the participants had to be adults living in the community (home-dwelling people) who had not visited their chosen family physician in the last five years (non-attenders). The identification of the eligible persons was done through a search of electronic medical records, which yield 2,025 non-attenders. Community nurses collected data in the participants’ homes. The outcome measure was increased fall risk as assessed by the Morse fall scale: increased risk (≥25) vs. no risk.

Results

The sample consisted of 1,945 patients (96.0% response rate) with a mean age of 60.4 years (range 20.5 to 99.7 years). An increased fall risk was determined in 482 or 24.8% (95% CI: [22.9, 26.8]) of the patients. The multivariate model showed a significant association of increased fall risk with higher age (p<0.001), lower systolic blood pressure (p=0.047), poor family function (p=0.016), increased risk of malnutrition (p=0.013), higher number of chronic diseases (p=0.027), higher pain intensity (p<0.001), lower self-assessment of current health (p=0.002), and higher dependence in daily activities (p<0.001).

Conclusion

Non-attenders may have an increased risk of falling which depends on their health status and age. The inclusion of community nurses in primary healthcare teams could be of use not only to identify the non-attenders’ health needs, but also to better manage their health, especially the factors that were identified to be associated with greater fall risk.

Risk factors for falls among community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and objective

The prevalence of falls among older adults living in the community is ~30% each year. The impacts of falls are not only confined to the individual but also affect families and the community. Injury from a fall also imposes a heavy financial burden on patients and their families. Currently, there are different reports on the risk factors for falls among older adults in the community. A retrospective analysis was used in this study to identify risk factors for falls in community-dwelling older adults. This research aimed to collect published studies to find risk factors for falls in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods

We searched for literature from the founding of PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, the Web of Science, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the China Science and Technology Periodicals Database (VIP), and the Wanfang database until September 2022. The studies were selected using inclusion and exclusion criteria. We collected information from relevant studies to compare the impact of potential risk factors such as age, female gender, fear of falling, history of falls, unclear vision, depression, and balance disorder on falls among community-dwelling older adults.

Results

A total of 31 studies were included with 70,868 community seniors. A significant risk factor for falls in the community of older adults was dementia (2.01, 95% CI: 1.41-2.86), age (1.15, 95% CI: 1.09-1.22), female gender (1.52, 95% CI: 1.27-1.81), fear of falling (2.82, 95% CI: 1.68-4.74), history of falls (3.22, 95% CI: 1.98-5.23), vision unclear (1.56, 95% CI: 1.29-1.89), depression (1.23, 95% CI: 1.10-1.37), and balance disorder (3.00, 95% CI: 2.05-4.39).

Conclusion

This study provides preliminary evidence that falls among community-dwelling older adults are associated with factors such as age, female gender, fear of falling, history of falls, unclear vision, depression, and balance disorders. The results of this research may help improve clinician awareness, risk stratification, and fall prevention among community-dwelling older adults.

Systematic review registration

identifier INPLASY2022120080.

History of Falls and Bedriddenness Ranks are Useful Predictive Factors for in-Hospital Falls: A Single-Center Retrospective Observational Study Using the Saga Fall Risk Model

INTRODUCTION

In our former study, we had validated the previously developed predictive model for in-hospital falls (Saga fall risk model) using eight simple factors (age, sex, emergency admission, department of admission, use of hypnotic medications, history of falls, independence of eating, and Bedriddenness ranks [BRs]), proving its high reliability. We found that only admission to the neurosurgery department, history of falls, and BRs had significant relationships with falls. In the present study, we aimed to clarify whether each of these three items had a significant relationship with falls in a different group of patients.

METHODS

This was a single-center based, retrospective study in an acute care hospital in a rural city of Japan. We enrolled all inpatients aged 20 years or older admitted from April 2015 to March 2018. We randomly selected patients to fulfill the required sample size. We performed multivariable logistic regression analysis using forced entry on the association between falls and each of the eight items in the Saga fall risk model 2.

RESULTS

A total of 2932 patients were randomly selected, of whom 95 (3.2%) fell. The median age was 79 years, and 49.9% were men. Multivariable analysis showed that female sex (odds ratio [OR] 0.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.39-0.93, p = 0.022), having a history of falls (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.16-2.99, p = 0.010), requiring help with eating (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.12-3.35, p = 0.019), BR of A (OR 6.6, 95% CI 2.82-15.30, p < 0.001), BR of B (OR 7.5, 95% CI 2.95-19.06, p < 0.001), and BR of C (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.53-11.04, p = 0.005) were significantly associated with falls.

CONCLUSION

History of falls and BRs were independently associated with in-hospital falls.

A systematic review of chiropractic care for fall prevention: rationale, state of the evidence, and recommendations for future research

BACKGROUND

Falls in older adults are a significant and growing public health concern. There are multiple risk factors associated with falls that may be addressed within the scope of chiropractic training and licensure. Few attempts have been made to summarize existing evidence on multimodal chiropractic care and fall risk mitigation. Therefore, the broad purpose of this review was to summarize this research to date. BODY: Systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Databases searched included PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, PEDro, and Index of Chiropractic Literature. Eligible study designs included randomized controlled trials (RCT), prospective non-randomized controlled, observational, and cross-over studies in which multimodal chiropractic care was the primary intervention and changes in gait, balance and/or falls were outcomes. Risk of bias was also assessed using the 8-item Cochrane Collaboration Tool. The original search yielded 889 articles; 21 met final eligibility including 10 RCTs. One study directly measured the frequency of falls (underpowered secondary outcome) while most studies assessed short-term measurements of gait and balance. The overall methodological quality of identified studies and findings were mixed, limiting interpretation regarding the potential impact of chiropractic care on fall risk to qualitative synthesis.

CONCLUSION

Little high-quality research has been published to inform how multimodal chiropractic care can best address and positively influence fall prevention. We propose strategies for building an evidence base to inform the role of multimodal chiropractic care in fall prevention and outline recommendations for future research to fill current evidence gaps.

The association between fatigue severity and risk of falls among middle-aged and older Australian stroke survivors

Background

Fatigue is a common and often debilitating symptom experienced by many stroke survivors. Significant post stroke fatigue may predispose individuals to other health complications, such as falls, which can lead to fractures and soft tissue injuries. Only limited research has examined the association between fatigue and falls in stroke survivors.

Methods

Data were obtained from the Sax Institute’s 45 and Up Study, from a subset of individuals who had experienced a stroke. The Modified Fatigue Impact Scale—5-item version (MFIS-5) was used to measure the level of fatigue. A logistic regression model, adjusted for stroke characteristics and comorbidities, was used to determine the magnitude of association between change in fatigue score and odds of having had a fall.

Results

A total of 576 participants completed the questionnaire. A total of 214 (37.2%) participants reported having had a fall in the previous 12 months. There was a statistically significant association between fatigue scores and fall status (p < 0.001). Specifically, for every 1-point increase in the fatigue score (MFIS-5) (i.e. higher level of fatigue), the odds of a person having a fall is 1.10 times greater (AOR = 1.10; 95% CI 1.05, 1.15; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study revealed an association between an increasing risk of falls with increasing severity of post stroke fatigue. Accurate detection and management of fatigue may help reduce the risk of falls and should be the focus of future research.

External validation of a new predictive model for falls among inpatients using the official Japanese ADL scale, Bedriddenness ranks: a double-centered prospective cohort study

Background

Several reliable predictive models for falls have been reported, but are too complicated and time-consuming to evaluate. We recently developed a new predictive model using just eight easily-available parameters including the official Japanese activities of daily living scale, Bedriddenness ranks, from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. This model has not yet been prospectively validated. This study aims to prospectively validate our new predictive model for falls among inpatients admitted to two different hospitals.

Methods

A double-centered prospective cohort study was performed from October 1, 2018, to September 30, 2019 in an acute care hospital and a chronic care hospital. We analyzed data from all adult inpatients, for whom all data required by the predictive model were evaluated and recorded. The eight items required by the predictive model were age, gender, emergency admission, department of admission, use of hypnotic medications, previous falls, independence of eating, and Bedriddenness ranks. The main outcome is in-hospital falls among adult inpatients, and the model was assessed by area under the curve.

Results

A total of 3,551 adult participants were available, who experienced 125 falls (3.5%). The median age (interquartile range) was 78 (66–87) years, 1,701 (47.9%) were men, and the incidence of falls was 2.25 per 1,000 patient-days and 2.06 per 1,000 occupied bed days. The area under the curve of the model was 0.793 (95% confidence interval: 0.761–0.825). The cutoff value was set as − 2.18, making the specificity 90% with the positive predictive value and negative predictive value at 11.4% and 97%.

Conclusions

This double-centered prospective cohort external validation study showed that the new predictive model had excellent validity for falls among inpatients. This reliable and easy-to-use model is therefore recommended for prediction of falls among inpatients, to improve preventive interventions.

Trial registration

UMIN000040103 (2020/04/08)

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-02871-5.

An evaluation of injurious falls and Fall-Risk-Increasing-Drug (FRID) prescribing in ambulatory care in older adults

Background

Falls are a major public health problem affecting millions of older adults each year. Little is known about FRID prescribing behaviors after injurious falls occur. The primary objective of this study was to investigate whether an injurious fall is associated with being prescribed a new FRID.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (2016). We included visits from patients age ≥ 65 years and classified visits based on presence of an injurious fall. The outcome of interest was prescription of new FRID between those with and without an injurious fall. Multivariable logistic regression weighted for sampling and adjusted for demographics, health history and other medications was used. Age and Alzheimer’s disease were examined as potential effect measure modifiers. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were reported. Bayes factor upper bounds were also reported to quantify whether the data were better predicted by the null hypothesis or the alternative hypothesis.

Results

The sample included 239,016,482 ambulatory care visits. 5,095,734 (2.1%) of the visits were related to an injurious fall. An injurious fall was associated with a non-statistically significant increase in odds of at least one new FRID prescription: adjusted OR = 1.6 (95% CI 0.6, 4.0). However, there was non-statistically significant evidence that the association depended on patient age, with OR = 2.6 (95% CI 0.9, 7.4) for ages 65–74 versus OR = 0.4 (95% CI 0.1, 1.6) for ages ≥ 75. In addition to age, Alzheimer’s disease was also identified as a statistically significant effect measure modifier, but stratum specific estimates were not determined due to small sample sizes.

Conclusions

Ambulatory care visits involving an injurious fall showed a non-statistically significant increase in odds of generating a new FRID prescription, but this association may depend on age.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-02877-z.

Falls and Associated Factors among Adolescents and Young Adults with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita

Background:

Falls research among individuals with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC), a group of congenital conditions characterized by joint contractures in two or more body regions, is sparse. The primary objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of single, multiple, and injurious falls among adolescents and adults with AMC and identify factors associated with multiple and injurious falls.

Methods:

Individuals, aged 10–50 years, with a diagnosis of AMC completed questionnaires obtaining demographic and AMC-specific information, falls history (e.g., number, injurious/non-injurious), markers of bone health, orthopedic surgical history, and mobility aid use, as well as the Gillette Functional Assessment Questionnaire and the Saltin-Grimby Physical Activity Level Scale. Falls were defined as “any body part above the ankle coming to rest on the ground, floor, or a lower level”. Falling was defined as ≥ 1 fall, while multiple falls were defined as ≥ 2 falls in the past year.

Differences in falling, multiple falls, and injurious falls rates between adolescents (10–17 years) and adults (aged 18–50 years) were evaluated. Using univariate binary logistic regression models, associations between participant characteristics and multiple falls, as well as injurious falls, were evaluated, while considering age as a covariate (p ≤ 0.050); odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

Results:

Adolescents (N = 28; median age = 14 years) and adults (N = 40; median age = 32 years) with AMC had similar falling, i.e., 89.3% versus 70.0%, and injurious fall rates, i.e., 32.1% versus 27.5%, respectively (p > 0.050).

Adolescents with AMC, however, were more likely to report multiple falls in the past year, i.e., 89.3%, when compared to adults with AMC, i.e., 57.5% (p = 0.005). Beyond age, multiple falls were associated with a greater number of lower-limb surgeries [p = 0.036, OR (95%CI): 1.18 (1.01–1.39)], ability to transfer floor-to-stand with support [p = 0.002, OR (95%CI): 8.98 (2.30–35.06)], and increased mobility per the Gillette Functional Assessment Questionnaire [p = 0.004, OR (95%CI): 1.48 (1.13–1.92)]. Factors associated with a reduced odds of multiple falls were spinal involvement [p = 0.025, OR (95%CI): 0.23 (0.07–0.84)], history of spinal surgery [p = 0.018, OR (95%CI: 0.18 (0.04–0.74)], greater upper extremity involvement [OR (95%CI): 0.65 (0.44–0.95)], home assistive device use [p = 0.010, OR (95%CI): 0.15 (0.03–0.63)], and community wheelchair use [p = 0.006, OR (95%CI): 0.16 (0.04–0.59)]. None of the explored characteristics were associated with injurious falls in the past year (p > 0.050).

Conclusion:

Falls are exceedingly common among adolescents and adults with AMC; potential risk and protective factors for multiple falls are identified for future prospective falls research.

Exploring the Environment behind In-Patient Falls and Their Relation to Hospital Overcrowdedness-A Register-Based Observational Study

(1) Background: Inpatient falls are a serious threat to patients' safety and their extrinsic factors are, at present, insufficiently described. Additionally, hospital overcrowdedness is known for its malicious effects but its relation to the inpatient falls is currently underexplored. The aim of this study was to explore the distribution of falls and their extrinsic characteristics amongst a range of different clinics, and to explore the correlation and predictive ability of hospital overcrowding in relation to inpatient falls. (2) Methods: An observational, cross-sectional, registry-based study was conducted using retrospective data from an incidence registry of a hospital organization in Sweden during 2018. The registry provided data regarding the extrinsic factors of inpatient falls, including the clinics' overcrowdedness. Simple descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and simple linear regression analysis were used. (3) Results: Twelve clinics were included. A total of 870 inpatient falls were registered during 2018. Overcrowdedness and total amount of falls were positively and very strongly correlated (r = 0.875, p < 0.001). Overcrowdedness was a significant predictor of the total amount of inpatient falls (p < 0.001, α = 0.05). (4) Conclusions: The characteristics regarding inpatient falls vary among the clinics. Inpatient overcrowding might have a significant role in the prevalence of inpatient falls, but further high-evidence-level studies are required.

Falls associated with indoor and outdoor environmental hazards among community-dwelling older adults between men and women

BACKGROUND

Hazardous environmental exposures are recognized risk factors for falls among older adults. However, the gender differences in the associations of falls with indoor and outdoor environmental hazards are scarce. This study examined the indoor and outdoor environmental risk factors for falls and compared the data for men and women among U.S. older adults using nationally representative data.

METHODS

We used the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) for a cross-sectional analysis of 6680 community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years in the United States. A series of logistic regressions was used to identify the indoor and outdoor environmental hazards associated with falls stratified by gender after adjusting for sociodemographic, health, and behaviors. We also tested for significant interactions with gender.

RESULTS

Compared to men, women had a higher prevalence of falls. In the model adjusted for sociodemographic, health, and behavioral conditions, there were gender differences in the association of falls with the presence of indoor and outdoor environmental hazards. Gender-specific analyses showed that women with the presence of indoor environmental hazards (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.04.-1.79) had higher odds of falls, whereas for men, the presence of outdoor environmental hazards (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.02-1.75) was associated with falls. We also found a significant interaction term between outdoor environmental hazards and gender (OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.47-0.90). The interaction plot indicated that the presence of outdoor environmental hazards increased the risks of falling in men but not in women.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant gender differences exist in the association of falls with indoor and outdoor environmental hazards among older men and women. Our findings suggest that gender-tailored prevention programs to increase awareness of the environmental hazards and gender-specific environmental interventions are needed to help prevent falls.

Reliability and Diagnostic Accuracy of Commonly Used Performance Tests Relative to Fall History in Older Persons: A Systematic Review

Background/Objectives

Early detection of fall risk is crucial for targeted fall prevention and rehabilitation. This systematic review facilitates decision-making concerning the optimal choice for a suitable fall risk assessment test for older persons in four different settings. This systematic review provides an overview of reliability and diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity [SE], specificity, likelihood ratios, and post-test probabilities) of commonly used performance measures to assess older persons' fall risk.

Methods

Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts of all articles identified through a systematic search on the PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases. The methodological quality was critically appraised using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool and the COSMIN risk of bias tool. Due to a setting-dependent fall risk, four relevant settings were selected for the analyses: 1) community dwelling, 2) nursing home, 3) hospital, and 4) the combined setting of hospitalized and community-dwelling persons.

Results

Recommendations for diagnostic accuracy can be made for the specific settings: setting 1) mini-balance evaluation system test, timed up and go test with fast speed (TUG FAST), cognitive TUG FAST, functional reach test, and fast gait speed; 2) TUG at usual speed; 3) none of the included tests; and 4) some hip muscle strength and hand grip strength tests might be recommended.

Conclusion

The review's results are applicable for use in clinical practice, both on a population and on an individual level for patients and caregivers. Most measures' reliability is sufficient. However, the included tests' discriminative ability is not optimal for clinical use in relevant settings. The low sample sizes of most of the included studies and a limited amount of studies in all but the community-dwelling setting hinder us from making strong recommendations.

A Technological-Based Platform for Risk Assessment, Detection, and Prevention of Falls Among Home-Dwelling Older Adults: Protocol for a Quasi-Experimental Study

BACKGROUND

According to the United Nations, it is estimated that by 2050, the number of people aged 80 years and older will have increased by 3 times. Increased longevity is often accompanied by structural and functional changes that occur throughout an individual's lifespan. These changes are often aggravated by chronic comorbidities, adopted behaviors or lifestyles, and environmental exposure, among other factors. Some of the related outcomes are loss of muscle strength, decreased balance control, and mobility impairments, which are strongly associated with the occurrence of falls in the elderly. Despite the continued undervaluation of the importance of knowledge on fall prevention among the elderly population by primary care health professionals, several evidence-based (single or multifaceted) fall prevention programs such as the Otago Exercise Program (OEP) have demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of falls and fall-related injuries in the elderly within community settings. Recent studies have strived to integrate technology into physical exercise programs, which is effective for adherence and overcoming barriers to exercise, as well as improving physical functioning.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to assess the impact of the OEP on the functionality of home-dwelling elderly using a common technological platform. Particularly, the impact on muscle strength, balance, mobility, risk of falling, the perception of fear of falling, and the perception of the elderly regarding the ease of use of technology are being examined in this study.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental study (before and after; single group) will be conducted with male and female participants aged 65 years or older living at home in the district of Porto. Participants will be recruited through the network COLABORAR, with a minimum of 30 participants meeting the study inclusion and exclusion criteria. All participants will sign informed consent forms. The data collection instrument consists of sociodemographic and clinical variables (self-reported), functional evaluation variables, and environmental risk variables. The data collection tool integrates primary and secondary outcome variables. The primary outcome is gait (timed-up and go test; normal step). The secondary outcome variables are lower limb strength and muscle resistance (30-second chair stand test), balance (4-stage balance test), frequency of falls, functional capacity (Lawton and Brody - Portuguese version), fear of falling (Falls Efficacy Scale International - Portuguese version), usability of the technology (System Usability Scale - Portuguese version), and environmental risk variables (home fall prevention checklist for older adults). Technological solutions, such as the FallSensing Home application and Kallisto wearable device, will be used, which will allow the detection and prevention of falls. The intervention is characterized by conducting the OEP through a common technological platform 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Throughout these weeks, the participants will be followed up in person or by telephone contact by the rehabilitation nurse. Considering the COVID-19 outbreak, all guidelines from the National Health Service will be followed. The project was funded by InnoStars, in collaboration with the Local EIT Health Regional Innovation Scheme Hub of the University of Porto.

RESULTS

This study was approved on October 9, 2020 by the Ethics Committee of Escola Superior de Enfermagem do Porto (ESEP). The recruitment process was meant to start in October, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was suspended. We expect to restart the study by the beginning of the third quarter of 2021.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study protocol will contribute to the design and development of future robust studies for technological tests in a clinical context.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN 15895163; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN15895163.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/25781.

Anticholinergic burden measures and older people's falls risk: a systematic prognostic review

Introduction

Several adverse outcomes have been associated with anticholinergic burden (ACB), and these risks increase with age. Several approaches to measuring this burden are available but, to date, no comparison of their prognostic abilities has been conducted. This PROSPERO-registered systematic review (CRD42019115918) compared the evidence behind ACB measures in relation to their ability to predict risk of falling in older people.

Methods

Medline (OVID), EMBASE (OVID), CINAHL (EMBSCO) and PsycINFO (OVID) were searched using comprehensive search terms and a validated search filter for prognostic studies. Inclusion criteria included: participants aged 65 years and older, use of one or more ACB measure(s) as a prognostic factor, cohort or case-control in design, and reporting falls as an outcome. Risk of bias was assessed using the Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool.

Results

Eight studies reporting temporal associations between ACB and falls were included. All studies were rated high risk of bias in ⩾1 QUIPS tool categories, with five rated high risk ⩾3 categories. All studies (274,647 participants) showed some degree of association between anticholinergic score and increased risk of falls. Findings were most significant with moderate to high levels of ACB. Most studies (6/8) utilised the anticholinergic cognitive burden scale. No studies directly compared two or more ACB measures and there was variation in how falls were measured for analysis.

Conclusion

The evidence supports an association between moderate to high ACB and risk of falling in older people, but no conclusion can be made regarding which ACB scale offers best prognostic value in older people.

Plain language summary

A review of published studies to explore which anticholinergic burden scale is best at predicting the risk of falls in older people Introduction: One third of older people will experience a fall. Falls have many consequences including fractures, a loss of independence and being unable to enjoy life. Many things can increase the chances of having a fall. This includes some medications. One type of medication, known as anticholinergic medication, may increase the risk of falls. These medications are used to treat common health issues including depression and bladder problems. Anticholinergic burden is the term used to describe the total effects from taking these medications. Some people may use more than one of these medications. This would increase their anticholinergic burden. It is possible that reducing the use of these medications could reduce the risk of falls. We need to carry out studies to see if this is possible. To do this, we need to be able to measure anticholinergic burden. There are several scales available, but we do not know which is best.Methods: We wanted to answer: 'Which anticholinergic scale is best at predicting the risk of falling in older people?'. We reviewed studies that could answer this. We did this in a systematic way to capture all published studies. We restricted the search in several ways. We only included studies relevant to our question.Results: We found eight studies. We learned that people who are moderate to high users of these medications (often people who will use more than one of these medications) had a higher risk of falling. It was less clear if people who have a lower burden (often people who only use one of these medications) had an increased risk of falling. The low number of studies prevented us from determining if one scale was better than another.Conclusion: These findings suggest that we should reduce use of these medications. This could reduce the number falls and improve the well-being of older people.

The Effects of Exercise Interventions on Balance Capacity in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The effect of exercise intervention on balance capacity among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients has not been evaluated. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to investigate the effect of exercise intervention on balance capacity among T2DM patients compared to the control group (usual care, waitlist, no-treatment, education). We conducted a comprehensive literature search through PubMed, EMBASE, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Cochrane library, Web of Science (WOS) from inception to August 2020. The literature language was limited to English. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-experimental (Q-E) trials that examined the effect of exercise intervention on balance capacity among T2DM patients were included. We used the standard methods of meta-analysis to evaluate the outcomes of exercise intervention for balance capacity of T2DM patients. A total of 14 trials (11 RCTs and 3 Q-E trials) involving 883 participants were eligible. The meta-analysis of some studies demonstrated that exercise intervention could significantly improve Berg Balance Scale (BBS) (MD = 2.56; 95%CI [0.35, 4.77]; P = .02), SLST (Single Leg Stance Test) under the eyes-open (EO) condition (MD = 3.63; 95%CI [1.79, 5.47]; P = .0001) and eyes-close (EC) condition (MD = 0.41; 95%CI [0.10, 0.72]; P = .01) compared to control group. There was no significant difference in Time Up and Go Test (TUGT) (MD = -0.75; 95%CI [-1.69, 0.19]; P = .12) and fall efficacy (SMD = -0.44; 95%CI [-0.86, -0.01]; P = .05). Narrative review of some studies indicated that exercise intervention could improve postural stability measured by Sensory Organization Test (SOT) and Center of Pressure (COP) variables, etc. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarized that exercise intervention could improve balance capacity in T2DM patients. However, further studies with high quality are required to evaluate its effect.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Falls among Older Outpatients

Falls in older people are a major public health issue, as they are associated with increased risks of morbidity and mortality. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with falls among older outpatients. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 539 outpatients aged 60 and over at the National Geriatric Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam. Falls and their associated factors were analyzed by multivariable logistic regression. The prevalence of falls was 23.7% (single fall 17.9%, recurrent falls 5.8%). The majority of falls occurred at home (69.6%) and were caused by a slippery floor (51.6%). After falling, most patients sustained physical injuries (65.6%); notably, women suffered more severe injuries than men. Alcohol consumption, using psychotropic medications, having three or more comorbidities, hypertension, COPD, urinary incontinence, frailty, fear of falling, ADL/IADL limitation, slow walking speed and mobility impairment were significantly associated with falls. Overall, the data indicated that falls were prevalent among older outpatients. Behavior factors, comorbidities, geriatric syndromes and physical function were substantially associated with falls, suggesting that most falls are preventable. Further longitudinal studies of longer periods are needed to comprehensively investigate the risk factors for falls.

Fall awareness behaviour and its associated factors among community dwelling older adults

Background

Falls are one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity in older adults. However, despite adoption of prevention strategies, the number of falls in older adults has not declined. The aim of this study was to examine fall awareness behaviour and its associated factors among Malaysian community dwelling older adults.

Methods

A total of 144 community dwelling older adults (mean age of 70.69 ± 4.3 years) participated in this study. Physical performance were assessed using timed up and go (TUG), gait speed (GS), chair stand and hand grip tests. Fall Awareness Behaviour (FaB) and Fall Risk Assessment Questionnaires (FRAQ) were administered to assess behaviour and fall prevention knowledge respectively.

Results

Stepwise linear regression analysis showed that the practice of fall awareness behaviour (R² = 0.256) was significantly associated with being male [95% C.I: 2.178 to 7.789, p < 0.001], having lower BMI [95% C.I: − 0.692 to − 0.135, p < 0.05], living with family [95% C.I: 0.022 to 5.953, p < 0.05] and those having higher functional mobility [95% C.I: − 2.008 to − 0.164, p < 0.05].

Conclusions

Fall awareness behaviour should be emphasized among older females, those with lower functional mobility, higher BMI and living alone.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-021-02122-z.

Falls and fear of falling among Israeli community-dwelling older people: a cross-sectional national survey

BACKGROUND

Falls and fear of falling are a major problem for older people and a leading cause of functional decline and institutionalization. There is limited data on the prevalence of falls in a 12-month period among Israeli older adults. Our main objective was to evaluate the prevalence of falls among Israeli community-dwelling older people aged ≥65 years and to identify factors associated with falls and fear of falling.

METHODS

A national cross-sectional interview survey was conducted between February 2018 and April 2019 by the Israeli Center for Disease Control. The prevalence of falls was assessed by asking participants about falling within the 12 months prior to the survey. Fear of falling was assessed by asking participants about the fear of future falls. Multivariate analysis was used to identify factors associated with falls and with fear of falling.

RESULTS

From 5281 households that were eligible for inclusion in this study, 3242 participants (61.4%) completed the survey. Falling at least once in the past year was reported by 23.8% of the respondents and fear of falling by 48.2%. The majority of the participants (91.1%) reported that they had never received any instruction about fall prevention from their medical care provider. In the multivariate analysis, falls and fear of falling were each a risk factor for the other; and were also significantly associated with female gender, major functional difficulties, the use of walking aids, cardiac disease, diabetes mellitus and psychotropic medications.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of falls and fear of falling among Israeli community-dwelling older people is comparable to the rates published in other countries. Efforts should be made to increase awareness about falls and their health consequences among older people. The development of specific interventions to target those at higher risk for falls and fear of falling is strongly recommended.

Reliability and validity of an adapted hip abductor strength measure as a potential new fall risk assessment for older persons: a study protocol

Background

Persons aged ≥ 65 years are currently the world’s fastest growing age group. An important complication of age is the increasing risk of falls. Falls have multifactorial etiology and modifiable risk factors open for interventions in prevention and rehabilitation, are of high interest. In this context, strong hip abductors seem to be important to prevent falls. A newly adapted measurement device to measure hip abductor strength (HAS) in a closed chain position was developed. We aim to assess feasibility, intra- and inter-tester reliability and construct and criterion validity of the new measure.

Methods

In two subsequent parts a feasibility, reliability and validity study with an adapted measurement instrument for the assessment of HAS (index test) in a closed chain position in persons aged ≥ 65 years will be conducted. Part I investigates feasibility of the measure in clinical settings as well as reliability of the new HAS test (n = 26). Part II evaluates construct and criterion validity (n = 169). Construct validity will be assessed cross-sectional, criterion validity by comparison with prospectively followed up fall history for 12 months (external criterion) and other functional fall risk assessments (Short Physical Performance Battery, Timed Up and Go test, usual gait speed and hand grip strength).

Discussion

Results of feasibility, will give insight in its applicability in daily clinical life and clinimetric properties will show if measurements of HAS in a closed chain position should be encouraged to include in fall risk assessments in older adults.

Are Anticholinergic Symptoms a Risk Factor for Falls in Older General Practice Patients With Polypharmacy? Study Protocol for the Development and Validation of a Prognostic Model

Background: Cumulative anticholinergic exposure, also known as anticholinergic burden, is associated with a variety of adverse outcomes. However, studies show that anticholinergic effects tend to be underestimated by prescribers, and anticholinergics are the most frequently prescribed potentially inappropriate medication in older patients. The grading systems and drugs included in existing scales to quantify anticholinergic burden differ considerably and do not adequately account for patients’ susceptibility to medications. Furthermore, their ability to link anticholinergic burden with adverse outcomes such as falls is unclear. This study aims to develop a prognostic model that predicts falls in older general practice patients, to assess the performance of several anticholinergic burden scales, and to quantify the added predictive value of anticholinergic symptoms in this context.

Methods: Data from two cluster-randomized controlled trials investigating medication optimization in older general practice patients in Germany will be used. One trial (RIME, n = 1,197) will be used for the model development and the other trial (PRIMUM, n = 502) will be used to externally validate the model. A priori, candidate predictors will be selected based on a literature search, predictor availability, and clinical reasoning. Candidate predictors will include socio-demographics (e.g. age, sex), morbidity (e.g. single conditions), medication (e.g. polypharmacy, anticholinergic burden as defined by scales), and well-being (e.g. quality of life, physical function). A prognostic model including sociodemographic and lifestyle-related factors, as well as variables on morbidity, medication, health status, and well-being, will be developed, whereby the prognostic value of extending the model to include additional patient-reported symptoms will be also assessed. Logistic regression will be used for the binary outcome, which will be defined as “no falls” vs. “≥1 fall” within six months of baseline, as reported in patient interviews.

Discussion: As the ability of different anticholinergic burden scales to predict falls in older patients is unclear, this study may provide insights into their relative importance as well as into the overall contribution of anticholinergic symptoms and other patient characteristics. The results may support general practitioners in their clinical decision-making and in prescribing fewer medications with anticholinergic properties.

Effects of Combined Balance and Strength Training on Measures of Balance and Muscle Strength in Older Women With a History of Falls

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the effects of combined balance and strength training on measures of balance and muscle strength in older women with a history of falls.

METHODS

Twenty-seven older women aged 70.4 ± 4.1 years (age range: 65 to 75 years) were randomly allocated to either an intervention (IG, n = 12) or an active control (CG, n = 15) group. The IG completed 8 weeks combined balance and strength training program with three sessions per week including visual biofeedback using force plates. The CG received physical therapy and gait training at a rehabilitation center. Training volumes were similar between the groups. Pre and post training, tests were applied for the assessment of muscle strength (weight-bearing squat [WBS] by measuring the percentage of body mass borne by each leg at different knee flexions [0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°], sit-to-stand test [STS]), and balance. Balance tests used the modified clinical test of sensory interaction (mCTSIB) with eyes closed (EC) and opened (EO), on stable (firm) and unstable (foam) surfaces as well as spatial parameters of gait such as step width and length (cm) and walking speed (cm/s).

RESULTS

Significant group × time interactions were found for different degrees of knee flexion during WBS (0.0001 < p < 0.013, 0.441 < d < 0.762). Post hoc tests revealed significant pre-to-post improvements for both legs and for all degrees of flexion (0.0001 < p < 0.002, 0.697 < d < 1.875) for IG compared to CG. Significant group × time interactions were found for firm EO, foam EO, firm EC, and foam EC (0.006 < p < 0.029; 0.302 < d < 0.518). Post hoc tests showed significant pre-to-post improvements for both legs and for all degrees of oscillations (0.0001 < p < 0.004, 0.753 < d < 2.097) for IG compared to CG. This study indicates that combined balance and strength training improved percentage distribution of body weight between legs at different conditions of knee flexion (0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°) and also decreased the sway oscillation on a firm surface with eyes closed, and on foam surface (with eyes opened or closed) in the IG.

CONCLUSION

The higher positive effects of training seen in standing balance tests, compared with dynamic tests, suggests that balance training exercises including lateral, forward, and backward exercises improved static balance to a greater extent in older women.

Caregiving for older adults with hip fractures: Exploring the perspectives of caregivers, providers and decision-makers in Ontario, Canada

INTRODUCTION

Caregivers play an important role in providing physical, emotional and social support to individuals with hip fracture. This study sought to explore perceptions of caregiving for older adults with hip fractures by comparing experiences of caregivers, providers and decision-makers.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted both in-person and by telephone with caregivers, providers and decision-makers (n=32) from one rural and one urban hospital selected from two health regions in Ontario, Canada. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were coded descriptively and interpretively, and compared within and across participants types.

RESULTS

Three main themes reflected tensions between caregivers and providers/decision-makers. Firstly, differing expectations of caregiver roles were identified. Several caregivers wanted more participation in the decision-making process but often felt excluded, while others expressed feeling stressed due to the expectations placed on them. Conversely, providers and decision-makers often described caregivers needing to strike a balance between providing supportive care while avoiding becoming too involved. Secondly, different expectations of what the healthcare system and providers could provide, with tensions particularly around timing of discharge were noted. Finally, there were differing perceptions of information needs. Providers spoke about the importance of providing education to caregivers and perceived themselves to be providing appropriate education. However, caregivers often described poor communication and not having a clear understanding of next steps and the care plan.

CONCLUSION

Managing and tailoring expectations, improving communication (e.g., content, timing) and the consistency of information shared with caregivers from different providers could facilitate more positive caregiving experiences and interactions.

Effectiveness of non-pharmacological falls prevention interventions for people with Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease and stroke: protocol for an umbrella review

Background: Falls are common among people with neurological diseases and have many negative physical, psychosocial and economic consequences. Implementation of single-diagnosis falls prevention interventions is currently problematic due to lack of participants and resources. Given the similarities in falls risk factors across stroke, Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), the development of an intervention designed for mixed neurological populations seems plausible and may provide a pragmatic solution to current implementation challenges. This umbrella review aims to summarise the totality of evidence regarding the effectiveness of non-pharmacological falls prevention interventions for people with MS, PD and stroke and identify the commonalities and differences between effective interventions for each disease to inform the development of an evidence-based intervention that can be tailored for people with mixed diagnoses. Methods: This umbrella review will be conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. 15 electronic databases and grey literature will be searched. Systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials and studies investigating the effects of non-pharmacological falls prevention interventions on falls outcomes among people with MS, PD and stroke will be included. Methodological quality of included reviews will be assessed using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 tool. The Grading of Recommendations Assessments, Development and Evaluation framework will be used to rate the quality of evidence. A summary of evidence table and narrative synthesis will be utilised to clearly indicate the findings. Discussion: This umbrella review presents a novel and timely approach to synthesise existing falls literature to identify effective non-pharmacological interventions for people with MS, PD and stroke. Of importance, a robust methodology will be used to explore the differences and similarities in effective interventions for individuals with these neurological conditions to facilitate the development of an intervention for these mixed neurological groups.

New predictive models for falls among inpatients using public ADL scale in Japan: A retrospective observational study of 7,858 patients in acute care setting

AIM

Most predictive models for falls developed previously were awkward to use because of their complexity. We developed and validated a new easier-to-use predictive model for falls of adult inpatients using easily accessible information including the public ADL scale in Japan.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed data from Japanese adult inpatients in an acute care hospital from 2012 to 2015. Two-thirds of cases were randomly extracted to the test set and one-third to the validation set. Data including age, sex, activity of daily living (ADL), public scales in Japan of ADL "bedriddenness rank," and cognitive function in daily living, hypnotic medications, previous falls, and emergency admission were derived from hospital records. Falls during hospitalization were identified from incident reports. Two predictive models were created by multivariate analysis, each of which was assessed by area under the curve (AUC) from the validation set.

RESULTS

A total of 7,858 adult participants were available. The AUC of model 1, using 13 factors-age, sex (male), emergency admission, use of ambulance, referral letter, admission to Neurosurgery, admission to Internal Medicine, use of hypnotic medication, permanent damage by stroke, history of falls, visual impairment, independence of eating, and bedriddenness rank-with low mutual collinearity and showing significant relationship by multivariate logistic regression analysis, was 0.789 in the validation set. The AUC of parsimonious model 2, using age and seven factors-sex (male), emergency admission, admission to Neurosurgery, use of hypnotic medication, history of falls, independence of eating, and bedriddenness rank-showing statistical significance by multivariate analysis in model 1, was 0.787 in the validation set.

CONCLUSIONS

We proposed new predictive models for inpatients' fall using the public ADL scales in Japan, which had a higher degree of usability because of their use of simpler and fewer (8 or 13) predictors, especially parsimonious model 2.

Risk factors for recurrent falls in older adults: a study protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Older adults who fall recurrently (i.e., >1 fall/year) are at risk for functional decline and mortality. Key risk factors for recurrent falls in community-dwelling older adults are not well established due to methodological limitations, such as recall bias. A better understanding of the risk factors for recurrent falls will aid in refining clinical practice guidelines for secondary fall prevention strategies. The primary objective of this systematic review with meta-analysis is to examine the risk factors for recurrent falls in prospective studies among community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A comprehensive search for articles indexed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases as well as grey literature was conducted on April 25, 2019. We will use MeSH and keyword search terms around the following topics: falls, recurrence, fall-risk, ageing and prospective studies. Prospective studies with monthly falls monitoring for 12 months, investigating risk factors for recurrent falls in older adults will be included. One author will complete the search. Two authors will remove duplicates and screen the titles and abstracts for their potential inclusion against the eligibility criteria. Two authors will screen the full texts and extract the data using a piloted extraction sheet. Included studies will be evaluated for the risk of bias with the Joanna Briggs Institute Prevalence Critical Appraisal tools. The quality of reporting will be determined with the Strengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology. The data extraction will include study characteristics as well as sociodemographic, balance and mobility, sensory and neuromuscular, psychological, medical, medication and environmental factors. The results will be presented via figures, summary tables, meta-analysis (when possible) and narrative summaries.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

No ethics approval will be required. Findings will be disseminated through publication and media.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42019118888; Pre-results.

Effectiveness of non-pharmacological falls prevention interventions for people with Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease and stroke: protocol for an umbrella review

Background: Falls are common among people with neurological diseases and are associated with many negative physical, psychosocial and economic consequences. Implementation of single diagnosis falls prevention interventions is currently problematic due to lack of participants and resources. Given the similarities in falls risk factors across stroke, Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), the development of an intervention designed for mixed neurological populations seems plausible and may provide a solution to current implementation challenges. This umbrella review aims to summarise the totality of evidence regarding the effectiveness of non-pharmacological falls prevention interventions for people with MS, PD and stroke and to identify the commonalities and differences between interventions that are effective for each disease to inform the development of an intervention for mixed diagnoses. Methods: This umbrella review will be conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Electronic databases and grey literature will be searched. Systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTS) and studies investigating the effects of non-pharmacological falls prevention interventions on falls outcomes among people with MS, PD and stroke will be included. Methodological quality of included reviews will be assessed using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 tool. The Grading of Recommendations Assessments, Development and Evaluation framework will be used to rate the quality of evidence. A summary of evidence table and narrative synthesis will be utilised to clearly indicate the findings. Discussion: This umbrella review presents a novel and timely approach to synthesise existing falls literature to identify effective non-pharmacological interventions for people with MS, PD and stroke. Of importance, this umbrella review will use a robust methodology to explore the key differences and similarities in effective interventions for individuals with these neurological diseases to facilitate the development of an intervention for mixed neurological groups.

Falls among community-dwelling older adults in Ethiopia; A preliminary cross-sectional study

Background

Falls among older adults is a common precipitating factor for unintentional injuries and represent a major health problem associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and health care cost in low-and-middle-income countries. The burden of fall in this population is well established in high-income countries and scant attention is given to this precipitating factor in low-and-middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with fall among community-dwelling older adults in Ethiopia.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among community-dwelling older adults of Gondar. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used across administrative areas. Six hundred and five households were selected proportionally using systematic random sampling technique. Physical measurement and face to face interview method were employed using a structured questionnaire for data collection. Data were analyzed descriptively and through uni- and multivariate logistic regression model.

Results

One hundred and seventy (n = 170, 28.4%; 95% CI 24.7–32.1) community-dwelling older adults reported having experienced fall in the past 12 months. Sex (OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.24–2.95), low educational status (OR = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.19–4.74), uncomfortable home environment (OR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.34, 3.04), having diagnosed medical condition (OR = 4.659, 95% CI: 1.20–18.02), and use of medication (OR = 5.57, 95% CI: 1.19–26.21) were significantly associated risk factors of self-reported fall in the past 12 months. Most outdoor falls are associated with females and participants aged below 66 years.

Conclusion

In conclusion, more than 1/4th of the community-dwelling older adults experienced at least one episode of fall and about 60% of them reported recurrent falls. Identifying risk group and risk factors that could be modified so as to prevent falls in older adults deserves attention. Outdoor falls are usually attributable to modifiable environmental aspects and improvements in outdoor environment needed.

Impairment of Vestibular Function and Balance Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

BACKGROUND

Recent evidence suggests that falls are a major complication of diabetes in elderly patients, leading to disability and preventable death. However, the potential risk factors leading to falls in patients with type 2 diabetes are not fully understood. This study was designed to explore the characteristics of vestibular dysfunction and balance control in patients with type 2 diabetes and to analyse the risk factors associated with falls.

METHODS

The study recruited 51 patients with type 2 diabetes and 43 controls who underwent vestibular function tests and balance control capability tests between January 2013 and December 2015. Vestibular function and balance control capability assessment was based on slow-phase velocity, canal paresis, Sensory Organisation Test (SOT) score, Limits of Stability Test (LOS) score, and Motor Control Test (MCT) score.

RESULTS

In all, 56.7% of the diabetic patients had vestibular dysfunction, compared with 27.9% of the controls (p = 0.005). Vestibular dysfunction was dependent on the duration of the disease and serum HbA1c levels. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to the balance test results for SOT score, somatosensory subtest score, vestibular subtest score, or LOS score. However, the visual system and MCT scores were significantly lower in the diabetic patients than in the controls (p = 0.032 and p = 0.018, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with type 2 diabetes have a higher incidence of vestibular dysfunction. Vestibular dysfunction, visual system impairment, and a decline in motion control may be the risk factors that can lead to falls, and thus need to be managed accordingly in diabetic patients.

Risk factors for falls in Iranian older adults: a case-control study

Falls are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in older adults. Identifying potential risk factors would provide a considerable public health benefit. The objective of this retrospective study was to determine the risk factors for falling among Iranian older adults. Two hundred eighty community-dwelling elders, with and without a history of falls, participated in the study. Elders aged 60 or over referred to retirement centres completed a multi-section questionnaire on demographic information, behavioural, environmental, and medical factors of fall from May to September 2018. Data analysis was performed with descriptive statistics and logistic regression using the Stata version 14 software. Sedentary activity level (OR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.85, 3.23), hearing loss (OR: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.23, 3.83), vertigo or dizziness (OR: 2.24; 95% CI: 1.02, 4.91) and visual impairment (OR: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.67) were important predictors of falls. No significant associations were observed between falls with demographic factors and medication. This study indicates several modifiable risk factors may be associated with falls that affect the health of older adults. Appropriate interventions are necessary to reduce modifiable risk factors of falls of high-risk elders.

Performance-based clinical tests of balance and muscle strength used in young seniors: a systematic literature review

BACKGROUND

Many balance and strength tests exist that have been designed for older seniors, often aged ≥70 years. To guide strategies for preventing functional decline, valid and reliable tests are needed to detect early signs of functional decline in young seniors. Currently, little is known about which tests are being used in young seniors and their methodological quality. This two-step review aims to 1) identify commonly used tests of balance and strength, and 2) evaluate their measurement properties in young seniors.

METHODS

First, a systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE to identify primary studies that employed performance-based tests of balance and muscle strength, and which aspects of balance and strength these tests assess in young seniors aged 60-70. Subsequently, for tests used in ≥3 studies, a second search was performed to identify method studies evaluating their measurement properties. The quality of included method studies was evaluated using the Consensus-based Standards for selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist.

RESULTS

Of 3454 articles identified, 295 met the inclusion criteria. For the first objective, 69 balance and 51 muscle strength tests were identified, with variations in administration mode and outcome reporting. Twenty-six balance tests and 15 muscle strength tests were used in ≥3 studies, with proactive balance tests and functional muscle power tests used most often. For the second objective, the search revealed 1880 method studies, of which nine studies (using 5 balance tests and 1 strength test) were included for quality assessment. The Timed Up and Go test was evaluated the most (4 studies), while the Community Balance and Mobility (CBM) scale was the second most assessed test (3 studies). For strength, one study assessed the reliability of the Five times sit-to-stand.

CONCLUSION

Commonly used balance and muscle strength tests in young seniors vary greatly with regards to administration mode and outcome reporting. Few studies have evaluated measurement properties of these tests when used in young seniors. There is a need for standardisation of existing tests to improve their informative value and comparability. For measuring balance, the CBM is a new and promising tool to detect even small balance deficits in balance in young seniors.

Construction and validation of content of one instrument to assess falls in the elderly

OBJECTIVE

To develop and validate the content of the online Questionnaire for Fall Risk Assessment in the Elderly.

METHODS

The instrument was developed based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) of the World Health Organization. Initially, the set of items was submitted to evaluation of judges (healthcare professionals with experience in elderly health), who could suggest inclusion or exclusion of questions from the instrument; they were also asked to rate each question according to the expected scope. At this stage, clarity and relevance levels for each item were evaluated, generating a total of Content Validity Coefficient (CtVC).

RESULTS

Content Validity Coefficient values were satisfactory for both clarity (CtVC=0.76) and relevance (CtVC=0.82) of the questions. Next, a group of elderly volunteers participating in a socializing group evaluated the questionnaire for comprehension. The level of comprehension for each item was identified on a Likert scale, ranging from 0 to 5. The questionnaire was considered easy to understand by most participants (95%), with a mean of 4.75 (±0.11) points for each item.

CONCLUSION

The instrument showed acceptable psychometric qualities for screening fall risk among the elderly population. Future studies shall investigate different validation aspects of construct for this measure.

Period prevalence, risk factors and consequent injuries of falling among the Saudi elderly living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Approximately 28% to 35% of people aged 65 and over fall each year. The consequent injuries of falls are considered a major public health problem. Falls account for more than half of injury-related hospitalisations among old people. The aim of this study was to measure a 1-year period prevalence of falling among old people in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In addition, this study described the most common risk factors and consequent injuries of falls.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A cross-sectional survey was carried out in Riyadh, using a convenient sampling. The targeted population were Saudi citizens who were 60 years or above. Over a 6-month period, 1182 individuals were sampled (545 men and 637 women).

RESULTS

The 1-year prevalence of falling among old Saudis (>=60 years) was 49.9%. Our results show that 74% of the participants who experienced falls had postfall injuries. Old participants who were uneducated and those with middle school certification were associated with falls (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.72; 95% CI 1.15 to 2.56, aOR 1.81; 95% CI 1.15 to 2.85, respectively). Those who live in rented houses had a higher risk of falls. Interestingly, having a caregiver was significantly associated with more falls (aOR 1.39; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.79). However, not using any medications was significantly related to fewer falls. In addition, old individuals using walking aids were more likely to fall than those who did not. Participants who mentioned 'not having stressors were associated with less frequent falls (aOR 0.62; 95% CI 0.39 to 0.97). Cerebrovascular accidents were strongly associated with falls with an estimated OR of 2.75 (95% CI 1.18 to 6.43). Moreover, osteoporosis, poor vision and back pain were found to be predictors for falls among the elderly.

CONCLUSION

49.9% of elderly Saudis had experienced one or more falls during a 12-month period. Several preventable risk factors could be addressed by routine geriatric assessment. Research on the impact of these risk factors is needed.