Hastanede yatan yaşlı hastaların düşmeyi önleme davranışları ile sağlık okuryazarlığı arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to investigate the relationship between falls, fall prevention behaviors, and health literacy in hospitalized older adults.
 
 Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used. Study data were collected from patients aged ≥65 who were hospitalized in the hospital’s internal medicine and surgery clinic between December 2021-June 2022. The data was collected using a Socio-demographic and Clinical Characteristics Form, the Health Literacy Scale (HLS), and the Fall Behavioral Scale for Older People (FaB). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the contribution of factors associated with older patients’ falling behaviors.
 
 Results: The mean age of 204 older patients participating in the study was 75.38±8.95, and 57.8% were female. The older people’s mean fall behaviors and health literacy scores were determined as 3.06±0.44 and 41.35+19.35, respectively. It was determined that the predictors of the cognitive adaptation subdimension of the falls behavioral scale for older people were understanding and applying and being single, the predictor of the protective mobility was fear of falling, the predictors of the pace were status of mobilization and fear of falling. In addition, the predictor of the practical strategies was fear of falling, the predictors of the displacing activities sub-dimension were the understanding sub-dimension of the HLS, presence of chronic disease, mobilization status, and fear of falling and the predictor of the changes in level was the mobilization status.
 
 Conclusion: Practices aimed at increasing the health literacy of older people, reducing the regression in their cognitive status, and improving it may increase fall prevention behaviors.