Fall Risk Assessment Tool Research Articles

Validity and Reliability of Falls Screening Mobile Application (FallSA) to Inform Falls Risk among Malaysian Community Dwelling Older Adults

Falls is a global health concern due to its many negative consequences in older adults. Early falls screening and prevention is important among older adults. We developed Falls Screening Mobile Application (FallSA) as a self falls screening tool among older adults. FallSA was developed using data of physical performance test, demographic information and questions to inform falls risk from a larger population based longitudinal study on neuroprotective model for healthy longevity among older adults (LRGS TUA). The aim of this study was to determine validity and reliability of FallSA as a self-screening tool to inform falls risk among Malaysian older adults. This cross sectional study was conducted among 91 community dwelling older adults aged 60 years and above. FallSA was validated against Physiological Profile Assessments (PPA), a comprehensive falls risk assessment tool. Participants used FallSA to test their falls risk by repeating the test twice between an hour. Validity and test–retest reliability of FallSA was examined by using Spearman correlation, Kappa, Sensitivity and Specificity, Intra correlation coefficient (ICC), Cronbach alpha and Bland-Altman respectively. Concurrent validity test was significant with moderate correlation rs = 0.518, p < 0.001, moderate agreement K = 0.516, p < 0.001 and acceptable Sensitivity: 80.4% and Specificity: 71.1%. Reliability of FallSA was shown to be good (ICC: 0.948, CI: 0.921-0.966), good internal consistency α = 0.948, p < 0.001 and good agreement indicate by small mean differences and narrow limits of agreement (LoA). The results of this study suggest that FallSA was a valid and reliable tool to inform falls risk among Malaysian older adults. Further prospective studies are required to determine the accuracy of FallSA to correctly classify older adults into fallers and non-faller groups. DOI : http://dx.doi.org./10.17576/JSKM-2018-34

Validity and Reliability of Falls Screening Mobile Application (FallSA) to Inform Falls Risk among Malaysian Community Dwelling Older Adults

Falls is a global health concern due to its many negative consequences in older adults. Early falls screening and prevention is important among older adults. We developed Falls Screening Mobile Application (FallSA) as a self falls screening tool among older adults. FallSA was developed using data of physical performance test, demographic information and questions to inform falls risk from a larger population based longitudinal study on neuroprotective model for healthy longevity among older adults (LRGS TUA). The aim of this study was to determine validity and reliability of FallSA as a self-screening tool to inform falls risk among Malaysian older adults. This cross sectional study was conducted among 91 community dwelling older adults aged 60 years and above. FallSA was validated against Physiological Profile Assessments (PPA), a comprehensive falls risk assessment tool. Participants used FallSA to test their falls risk by repeating the test twice between an hour. Validity and test–retest reliability of FallSA was examined by using Spearman correlation, Kappa, Sensitivity and Specificity, Intra correlation coefficient (ICC), Cronbach alpha and Bland-Altman respectively. Concurrent validity test was significant with moderate correlation rs = 0.518, p &lt; 0.001, moderate agreement K = 0.516, p &lt; 0.001 and acceptable Sensitivity: 80.4% and Specificity: 71.1%. Reliability of FallSA was shown to be good (ICC: 0.948, CI: 0.921-0.966), good internal consistency α = 0.948, p &lt; 0.001 and good agreement indicate by small mean differences and narrow limits of agreement (LoA). The results of this study suggest that FallSA was a valid and reliable tool to inform falls risk among Malaysian older adults. Further prospective studies are required to determine the accuracy of FallSA to correctly classify older adults into fallers and non-faller groups. DOI : http://dx.doi.org./10.17576/JSKM-2018-34

Fall risks factors among home-based health care patients in the Aseer province: Observational study

Purpose: To describe the prevalence of fall risks factors using the Missouri Alliance for Home Care’s fall risk assessment tool (MAHC-10) on home-based health care (HHC) patients in the Aseer region, southern Saudi Arabia. Also, to highlight the process of care, and physical therapy utilization among home health care beneficiaries. Method: 242 patients’ information were retrieved and reviewed. Patients in our study received various healthcare services including physical therapy, nursing and physicians’ visits between October and December 2017. We used the MAHC-10, which was designed for assessing multifactorial fall risks among home-based health care patients. Results: 43% of patients were male, and 57% were female. Males received care within an average of 8 d of a referral date, whereas female patients received care within an average of 15 d. Majority of patients are functionally dependent (78%) of patients. Nursing visits were the highest number of professionals that provided HHC visits for both patients’ risk groups. The impairment of functional mobility had the highest fall risk factor among patients receiving HHC services, and fall history factor was the lowest prevalent fall risk factor among patients. Conclusion: Health care utilization is very important, and it should start early enough to decrease the risk of fall especially physical therapy visits. The level of functional mobility was also a most prevalent factor across all home health care patients in our study, and it is an essential element for predicting the likelihood of a fall in the older adult Aseer population.

The Johns Hopkins Fall Risk Assessment Tool: A Study of Reliability and Validity.

Patient falls and fall-related injury remain a safety concern. The Johns Hopkins Fall Risk Assessment Tool (JHFRAT) was developed to facilitate early detection of risk for anticipated physiologic falls in adult inpatients. Psychometric properties in acute care settings have not yet been fully established; this study sought to fill that gap. Results indicate that the JHFRAT is reliable, with high sensitivity and negative predictive validity. Specificity and positive predictive validity were lower than expected.

Implementation of the humpty dumpty Scale-Pediatric fall risk assessment tool to promote quality care and prevent falls

Implementation of the humpty dumpty Scale-Pediatric fall risk assessment tool to promote quality care and prevent falls

Correlation between the fear of falling and fall risk assessment tools in the community-dwelling frail elderly in Korea

Correlation between the fear of falling and fall risk assessment tools in the community-dwelling frail elderly in Korea

Concordance of Motion Sensor and Clinician-Rated Fall Risk Scores in Older Adults.

As the older adult population in the United States continues to grow, developing reliable, valid, and practical methods for identifying fall risk is a high priority. Falls are prevalent in older adults and contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality rates and rising health costs. Identifying at-risk older adults and intervening in a timely manner can reduce falls. Conventional fall risk assessment tools require a health professional trained in the use of each tool for administration and interpretation. Motion sensor technology, which uses three-dimensional cameras to measure patient movements, is promising for assessing older adults' fall risk because it could eliminate or reduce the need for provider oversight. The purpose of this study was to assess the concordance of fall risk scores as measured by a motion sensor device, the OmniVR Virtual Rehabilitation System, with clinician-rated fall risk scores in older adult outpatients undergoing physical rehabilitation. Three standardized fall risk assessments were administered by the OmniVR and by a clinician. Validity of the OmniVR was assessed by measuring the concordance between the two assessment methods. Stability of the OmniVR fall risk ratings was assessed by measuring test-retest reliability. The OmniVR scores showed high concordance with the clinician-rated scores and high stability over time, demonstrating comparability with provider measurements.

Fall risk assessment tools for use among older adults in long-term care settings: A systematic review of the literature.

To conduct a systematic review of published fall risk assessment tools (FRATs) tested for predictive validity among older adults in long-term care (LTC). A systematic search was conducted using five databases. Only studies reporting on sensitivity and specificity values, conducted in LTC on populations primarily aged over 60 years, were considered. Fifteen papers were included and three different categories of FRATs emerged: multifactorial assessment tools, functional mobility assessments and algorithms. Several FRATs showed moderate-to-good predictive validity and reliability, with the Modified Fall Assessment Tool and the Peninsula Health Falls Risk Assessment Tool (PHFRAT) also demonstrating good feasibility. Evidence for the best choice of FRAT for use in LTC remains limited. Further research is warranted for the PHFRAT, recommended for use in LTC by best practice guidelines, before its establishment as the tool of choice for these clinical settings.

Identifying protective and risk factors for injurious falls in patients hospitalized for acute care: a retrospective case-control study

BackgroundAdmitted patients who fall and injure themselves during an acute hospitalization incur increased costs, morbidity, and mortality, but little research has been conducted on identifying inpatients at high risk to injure themselves in a fall. Falls risk assessment tools have been unsuccessful due to their low positive predictive value when applied broadly to entire hospital populations. We aimed to identify variables associated with the risk of or protection against injurious fall in the inpatient setting. We also aimed to test the variables in the ABCs mnemonic (Age > 85, Bones-orthopedic conditions, anti-Coagulation and recent surgery) for correlation with injurious fall.MethodsWe performed a retrospective case-control study at an academic tertiary care center comparing admitted patients with injurious fall to admitted patients without fall. We collected data on the demographics, medical and fall history, outcomes, and discharge disposition of injured fallers and control patients. We performed multivariate analysis of potential risk factors for injurious fall with logistic regression to calculate adjusted odds ratios.ResultsWe identified 117 injured fallers and 320 controls. There were no differences in age, anti-coagulation use or fragility fractures between cases and controls. In multivariate analysis, recent surgery (OR 0.46, p = 0.003) was protective; joint replacement (OR 5.58, P = 0.002), psychotropic agents (OR 2.23, p = 0.001), the male sex (OR 2.08, p = 0.003) and history of fall (OR 2.08, p = 0.02) were significantly associated with injurious fall.ConclusionIn this study, the variables in the ABCs parameters were among the variables not useful for identifying inpatients at risk of injuring themselves in a fall, while other non-ABCs variables demonstrated a significant association with injurious fall. Recent surgery was a protective factor, and practices around the care of surgical patients could be extrapolated to reduce the in-hospital fall rates.

Implementation of the MEDFRAT to Promote Quality Care and Decrease Falls in Community Hospital Emergency Rooms

AbstractPurposeTo identify and implement an evidence-based fall-risk assessment tool for use in emergency departments at Essentia Health, a large, primarily rural health care delivery system with 12 emergency departments. MethodsThe Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice to Promote Quality Care was used to guide the process. The Memorial Emergency Department Fall-Risk Assessment Tool (MEDFRAT) was programmed into the electronic medical record, along with interventions that could be selected for 2 fall-risk levels. An education session was developed for emergency nurses about falls and MEDFRAT, with planned time for discussion about any concerns in the implementation of MEDFRAT. MEDFRAT was selected for implementation by nursing leadership because it is evidence based and appeared to be conducive to implementation in the diverse emergency departments across 12 sites in 3 states. ResultsEducation sessions were presented to nurses at 11 of 12 emergency departments. Suggestions to support site-specific implementation were programmed into the electronic health record. Nurses expressed appreciation that they were consulted, and their feedback was incorporated into the tool before it was implemented. Resources needed at each site to implement recommended MEDFRAT interventions in the tool were identified. Needed resources were then provided to the emergency departments before implementation of MEDFRAT. ConclusionsThe Iowa Model was a useful framework to select an evidence-based tool and then engage nurses in the process of implementing evidence-based practice changes in emergency departments across a diverse health care system serving a largely rural population. Ongoing follow-up will determine if this process results in fewer falls.Image 1

Development of risk assessment scale of maternal fall and its reliability and validity test

Objective With methods of literature review, item test, reliability and validity test, etc., to develop a fall risk assessment scale specific to the obstetrical department, which, after reliability and validity test, can be used for women health care before, at and after delivery. Methods Items in the fall risk assessment scale for pregnant and maternal women were determined and weights were assigned by reviewing relative risk factors in literature, referring to items in other fall risk assessment tools from home and aboard. After a preliminary scale was formed, 154 pregnant and maternal women hospitalized from May to December 2016 were assessed, so that reliability and validity of the scale were tested. Results In this fall risk assessment scale for the obstetrical department, test-retest reliability was 0.822, interrater reliability was 0.926, content validity of expertise was 0.927, and area under the curve (ROC) was 0.750 (P<0.05) . When the dividing value was 3.5, sum of sensitivity (0.714) and specificity (0.714) reached the max. Conclusions The new fall risk scale, with favorable reliability and validity, can filter patients with high risk of fall, yet, it is still to be testified and perfected in future application. Key words: Obstetrical nursing; Accidental falls; Assessment tool; Reliability; Validity

Validation and reliability of Falls Risk for Hospitalized Older People (FRHOP): Taiwan version.

A comprehensive fall risk assessment can provide information for effective prevention and intervention measures and reduce falls among hospitalized elderly people. The purpose of this study was to develop a Chinese version of an inpatient fall risk assessment tool and evaluate its validity and reliability.This study employed the Falls Risk for Hospitalised Older People (FRHOP) assessment to construct a FRHOP-Taiwan Version (Tw-FRHOP) through forward, synthesized, and backward translation. A face validation was conducted by 5 clinical nurses and a content validation was conducted by 5 specialists using the content validity index (CVI) to validate the proposed model. Thirty hospitalized older adults in an internal care unit were selected for an interrater reliability assessment, conducted separately by specialists in 4 disciplines (i.e., nurses, physicians, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists) by using Cohen kappa statistic and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Specifically, the assessment rating developed in the Tw-FRHOP was compared with the Morse Fall Scale (MFS), St. Thomas Risk Assessment Tool in Falling Elderly Inpatients (STRATIFY), and the Hendrich II Fall Risk Model (HIIFRM) for criterion validation.According to the analysis results, the CVI was 0.94, and the indexes of criterion-related validity for the FRHOP-Taiwan Version, MFS, STRATIFY, and HIIFRM were 0.49, 0.63, and 0.54 (all P < .001), respectively. In addition, after interrater reliability testing was conducted, the results indicated that the index of response consistency in each discipline was 86.7% to 100%, and the values of Cohen kappa were 0.651 to 1.000. The ICCs of the discipline-related subscale were 0.97 to 1.00.The Tw-FRHOP is a multidisciplinary comprehensive fall risk assessment that can serve as a satisfactorily valid and reliable reference tool for medical personnel with full professional training, as well as inpatient fall prevention interventions for multidisciplinary teams in hospitals.

Posturography stability score generation for stroke patient using Kinect: Fuzzy based approach.

Aim of this paper is to formulate a posturography stability score for stroke patients using fuzzy logic. Postural instability is one of the prominent symptoms of stroke, dementia, parkinsons disease, myopathy, etc. and is the major precursor of fall. Conventional scoring techniques used to assess postural stability require manual intervention and are dependent on live interaction with physiotherapist. We propose a novel scoring technique to calculate static stability of a person using posturography features acquired by Kinect sensor, which do not require any manual intervention or expert guidance, is cost effective and hence are ideal for tele rehabilitation purpose. Stability analysis is done during Single Limb Stance (SLS) exercise. Kinect sensor is used to calculate three features, naming SLS duration, vibration index, calculated from mean vibration of twenty joints and sway area of Centre of Mass (CoM). Based on the variation of these features, a fuzzy rule base is generated which calculates a static stability score. One way analysis of variance (Anova) between a group of stroke population and healthy individuals under study validates the reliability of the proposed scorer. Generated fuzzy score are comparable with standard stability scorer like Berg Balance scale and fall risk assessment tool like Johns Hopkins scale. Stability score, besides providing an index of overall stability can also be used as a fall predictability index.

Longitudinal Evaluation of Johns Hopkins Fall Risk Assessment Tool and Nurses' Experience.

The Johns Hopkins Fall Risk Assessment Tool (JHFRAT) is relatively new in Korea, and it has not been fully evaluated. This study revealed that the JHFRAT had good predictive validity throughout the hospitalization period. However, 2 items (fall history and elimination patterns) on the tool were not determinants of falls in this population. Interestingly, the nurses indicated those 2 items were the most difficult items to assess and needed further training to develop the assessment skills.

Failure of falls risk screening tools to predict outcome: a prospective cohort study

ObjectiveTo compare the Falls Risk for Older Persons—Community Setting Screening Tool (FROP Com Screen) with the Two-Item Screening Tool in older adults presenting to the ED.MethodsA prospective cohort study, comparing...

The \u201cAachen fall prevention App\u201d \u2013 a Smartphone application app for the self-assessment of elderly patients at risk for ground level falls

BackgroundFall incidents are a major problem for patients and healthcare. The “Aachen Fall Prevention App” (AFPA) represents the first mobile Health (mHealth) application (app) empowering older patients (persons 50+ years) to self-assess and monitor their individual fall risk. Self-assessment is based on the “Aachen Fall Prevention Scale,” which consists of three steps. First, patients answer ten standardized yes–no questions (positive criterion ≥ 5 “Yes” responses). Second, a ten-second test of free standing without compensatory movement is performed (positive criterion: compensatory movement). Finally, during the third step, patients rate their subjective fall risk on a 10-point Likert scale, based on the results of steps one and two. The purpose of this app is (1) to offer a low-threshold service through which individuals can independently monitor their individual fall risk and (2) to collect data about how a patient-centered mHealth app for fall risk assessment is used in the field.ResultsThe results represent the first year of an ongoing field study. From December 2015 to December 2016, 197 persons downloaded the AFPA (iOS™ and Android™; free of charge). N = 111 of these persons voluntarily shared their data and thereby participated in the field study. Data from a final number of n = 79 persons were analyzed due to exclusion criteria (age, missing objective fall risk, missing self-assessment). The objective fall risk and the self-assessed subjective risk measured by the AFPA showed a significant positive relationship.ConclusionsThe “Aachen Fall Prevention App” (AFPA) is an mHealth app released for iOS and Android. This field study revealed the AFPA as a promising tool to raise older adults’ awareness of their individual fall risk by means of a low-threshold patient-driven fall risk assessment tool.

Nursing home team-care deprescribing study: a stepped-wedge randomised controlled trial protocol

IntroductionAn ageing population has become an urgent concern for Asia in recent times. In nursing homes, polypharmacy has also become a compounding issue. Deprescribing practice is an evidence-based strategy to...

Tools for assessing fall risk in the elderly: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The prevention of falls among the elderly is arguably one of the most important public health issues in today's aging society. The aim of this study was to assess which tools best predict the risk of falls in the elderly. Electronic searches were performed using Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, etc., using the following keywords: "fall risk assessment", "elderly fall screening", and "elderly mobility scale". The QUADAS-2 was applied to assess the internal validity of the diagnostic studies. Selected studies were meta-analyzed with MetaDisc 1.4. A total of 33 studies were eligible out of the 2,321 studies retrieved from selected databases. Twenty-six assessment tools for fall risk were used in the selected articles, and they tended to vary based on the setting. The fall risk assessment tools currently used for the elderly did not show sufficiently high predictive validity for differentiating high and low fall risks. The Berg Balance scale and Mobility Interaction Fall chart showed stable and high specificity, while the Downton Fall Risk Index, Hendrich II Fall Risk Model, St. Thomas's Risk Assessment Tool in Falling elderly inpatients, Timed Up and Go test, and Tinetti Balance scale showed the opposite results. We concluded that rather than a single measure, two assessment tools used together would better evaluate the characteristics of falls by the elderly that can occur due to a multitude of factors and maximize the advantages of each for predicting the occurrence of falls.

Validity of the Johns Hopkins Fall Risk Assessment Tool for Predicting Falls on Inpatient Medicine Services.

The Johns Hopkins Fall Risk Assessment Tool (JHFRAT) is widely used but few studies have examined its psychometric properties. We examined the predictive validity of the JHFRAT for 13 574 patient admissions to medicine units at a large academic medical center in 2014. There were 204 patient falls reported. While patients who fell had higher JHFRAT total scores, a majority of patients who fell were classified by the JHFRAT as moderate or low risk.

Validation of Static and Dynamic Balance Assessment Using Microsoft Kinect for Young and Elderly Populations

Reduction in balance is an indicator of fall risk, and therefore, an accurate and cost-effective balance assessment tool is essential for prescribing effective postural control strategies. This study established the validity of the Kinect v2 sensor in assessing center of mass (CoM) excursion and velocity during single-leg balance and voluntary ankle sway tasks among young and elderly subjects. We compared balance outcome measures (anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) CoM excursion and velocity and average sway length) to a traditional three-dimensional motion analysis system. Twenty subjects (10 young: age = y, height cm, weight kg; 10 elderly: age y, height cm, weight kg), with no history of lower extremity injury, participated in this study. Subjects performed six randomized trials; four single-leg stand (SLS) and two ankle sway trials. SLS and voluntary ankle sway trials showed that consistency (ICC(2, k)) and agreement (ICC(3, k)) for all variables when all subjects were considered, as well as when the elderly and young groups were analyzed separately. Concordance between systems ranged from poor to nearly perfect depending on the group, task, and variable assessed.