The purposes of this study were to identify and analyze characteristics of patients who fall, the types and circumstances of their falls, and analyze risk factors for fall-related injuries. In this retrospective study of 137 patients who fell between July 1, 2002 and December 31, 2005 at the neurological unit of a medical center located in the south of Taiwan. Data on patient characteristics, fall circumstances, and injuries were collected by reviewing of adverse event reports. Analyses were performed by use of SPSS statistical software.
The result of this study found that the average age of patient who fell was 59.6 years. The majority of sex of the patient falls is male (61.3%). Many patients who fell had caregivers taking constant care (84%), and occurred in the patient room (68.6%). The most frequent diseases related to falls were cerebrovascular disease (47.5%). They usually falls happened during 12AM to 8AM (50.4%). Most falls (81%) did not result in severe injury, or disturbances of gait (78.8%). The most common activity performed at time of fall was during ambulation (39.4%), and getting out of bed (29.9%).The study found that significant risk factors for dizziness were correlated with fall injury (P<0.05); location and activity at time of fall were related to fall injury (P<0.05).
The logistic regression model revealed that the significant risk factors for fall-related injuries were activity at time of fall sit and trying to pick up something (OR=18.15 with 95% CI of 1.15 to 285.92). The identified factors associated with injury may provide the information on reducing falling injuries for neurological patients, and development of fall intervention programs. The preventive strategies can ensure patient safety, improve health care quality and reduce resource utilization.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NSYSU/oai:NSYSU:etd-0124107-093423 |
| Date | 24 January 2007 |
| Creators | chiu, Tan-Ying |
| Contributors | Shu-Chuan Jennifer Yeh, Shyh-jer Chen, Hsin-Chia Hung, Ying-Chun Li |
| Publisher | NSYSU |
| Source Sets | NSYSU Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Archive |
| Language | Cholon |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.lib.nsysu.edu.tw/ETD-db/ETD-search/view_etd?URN=etd-0124107-093423 |
| Rights | withheld, Copyright information available at source archive |
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