Risk factors of falls in hospitalized patients
Authors:
I. Bóriková; M. Tomagová; K. Žiaková
Authors‘ workplace:
Vedúca: prof. Mgr. Katarína Žiaková, PhD.
; Jesseniova lekárska fakulta v Martine
; Ústav ošetrovateľstva
; Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave
Published in:
Prakt. Lék. 2017; 97(1): 26-30
Category:
Of different specialties
Overview
Aim:
To identify risk factors of falls in hospitalized patients and to identify which ones are associated with high risk of fall.
Methods:
The pilot cross-sectional study was performed in sample inpatients on internal and surgical departments. The risk of fall was assessed by identifying of risk factors for falls and by Morse Fall Scale (MFS). This tool assesses six key risk factors for fall and cut-off score ≥ 45 (the range of 0 to 125) and identifies patients with high risk for fall, which initiates the selection of targeted preventive interventions to for reducing the risk of fall.
Results:
In sample of 63 patients with a mean age of 68.3 years was the mean score of fall risk by MFS at high risk 60.6 ± 22.4. Up to 47 patients (74.6%) had a high risk of fall (MFS score ≥ 45). The highest risk of fall had patients oldest age sample (> 74 years). The most common risk factors for the falls in whole sample belonged abnormal of gait and balance (n = 53), acute diagnosis (n = 46), secondary diagnosis (n = 40), using of an ambulatory aid (n = 37) and polypharmacotherapy (n = 37). In sample of patients at high risk of fall were statistically significant correlations between the fall history (p = 0.000), abnormal gait and balance (p = 0.000), using of an ambulatory aids (p = 0.010) and polypharmacotherapy (p = 0.030) related to high risk of fall.
Conclusion:
Screening for risk of falls should be implemented always during patient receiving and a significant change in his health condition with aim to identify risks factors increasing the risk of falls. Result of this assessment is the basal for the selection and implementation of targeted multifactorial interventions. Valid and reliable tool MFS is able to detect a significant risk of fall, but after detection of fall risk, patient should be comprehensively examined with a focus on specific identified risk factors. MFS is necessary further tested in various areas of clinical practice with aim to prepare the standardized methodology for identifying patients with risk of fall.
Keywords:
fall – risk factors – inpatients – assessment – Morse Fall Scale
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General practitioner for children and adolescents General practitioner for adultsArticle was published in
General Practitioner
2017 Issue 1
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