Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences Large Type Edition
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]
Author:
 		Keyword(s):
Year:  Vol:  Page: 

This Article
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Cited by other online articles
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Chu, L. W.
Right arrow Articles by Wong, A.
Right arrow Articles citing this Article
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Chu, L. W.
Right arrow Articles by Wong, A.

Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, Vol 54, Issue 1 M38-M43, Copyright © 1999 by The Gerontological Society of America

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Risk factors for falls in hospitalized older medical patients

LW Chu, CK Pei, A Chiu, K Liu, MM Chu, S Wong and A Wong
University Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. [email protected]

BACKGROUND: The incidence of falls among older hospitalized patients is higher than that of community-dwelling older persons. Prevention is important, but factors associated with these falls are less well studied than falls occurring in the community or nursing homes. METHODS: This study was conducted in an acute-care general hospital in Hong Kong. During November 1995 to March 1997, all older inpatients who fell during hospitalization were assessed by a geriatrician, a physiotherapist, and an occupational therapist. A standardized protocol to study the clinical and performance-oriented functional factors was employed. A sex- and age-matched hospital control was recruited for each case. In total, 51 cases and controls (mean ages 77.8 +/- 7.3 years and 77.5 +/- 7.0 years, respectively) were studied. RESULTS: Among the multiple clinical and functional risk factors for falls identified, lower limb weakness (i.e., power less than MRC grade 4 in one or both lower limbs) and poor tandem walk ability emerged as two significant predictive factors for falls in the hospital. The overall classification accuracy of fallers and nonfallers was 79%. The sensitivity was 84% and specificity was 75%. Clinical factors were the underlying causes for the lower limb weakness and poor tandem walk performance. CONCLUSIONS: Among clinical and functional risk factors for falls in the older medical patient, lower limb weakness and poor tandem walk ability were most predictive. Falls prevention programs in hospitals should employ these two tests as screening instruments.


This article has been cited by other articles: (Search Google Scholar for Other Citing Articles)


Home page
 J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med SciHome page
L.-W. Chu, A. Y. Y. Chiu, and I. Chi
Impact of Falls on the Balance, Gait, and Activities of Daily Living Functioning in Community-Dwelling Chinese Older Adults
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., April 1, 2006; 61(4): 399 - 404.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med SciHome page
K. B. Gunter, K. N. White, W. C. Hayes, and C. M. Snow
Functional Mobility Discriminates Nonfallers From One-Time and Frequent Fallers
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., November 1, 2000; 55(11): 672M - 676.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
All GSA journals The Gerontologist
Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Copyright © 1999 by The Gerontological Society of America.