Falling risk assesment in home care patients

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to determine the frequency and the risk factors associated with falling in patients registered to home care unit. By assesing these results to we try to increase the effectiveness of the prevention strategies at the community level.

Methods: This descriptive research was conducted between January 1-February 28, 2015. One hundred-eighty four patients were visited at home by Samsun Educatin and Research Hospital Home Care Unit. The patients or the caregivers who signed the informed consent form had a questionnary about socio-demograghic data and face to face Itaki Fall Risk Scale. The data were evaluated using the SPSS 20.00 package program.The distribution of the data was evaluated by the Pearson Ki Kare, Mann-Whitney U, KruskalWallis test, Logistic regression analysis test.p values< 0.05 were accepted as statistically significant.

Results: The mean age of a hundred-eighty four patients were 74.4±7.8 year. 55.5% of them were female. 51.3% of patients were independent on the bed.The most common diagnosis we saw in patients was Alzheimer 30.3% (n=56). Risk of falling were found significantly higher in those with over 65 years of age, and also in patients with chronic illness and drug usage history. (p values<0.05) 55.5% of patients in home care have high fall risk. According the Itaki Fall Risk Scale the mean total score was 5.02±1.40, 5.10±1.40 in women, 5,04±1.32 in men.

Conclusion: Fall risk is higher in home care patients. The most common minor risk factor is being over sixty-five years old and the most common major risk factor is unconsciousness and lack of cooperativity. Fall risk should be assessed at certain intervals in home care patients.