Are older adults receiving evidence-based advice to prevent falls post-discharge from hospital?

TY - JOUR

T1 - Are older adults receiving evidence-based advice to prevent falls post-discharge from hospital?

AU - Lee, Den-Ching A

AU - Brown, Ted

AU - Stolwyk, Rene

AU - O'Connor, Daniel W

AU - Haines, Terry P

PY - 2016/6

Y1 - 2016/6

N2 - Background: Older adults experience a high rate of falls when they transition to community-living following discharge from hospital. Objectives: To describe the proportion of older adults who could recall having discussed falls and falls prevention strategies with a health professional within 6 months following discharge from hospital. To describe the recalled content of these discussions and the strategies recommended and/or undertaken to prevent falls. Methods: Prospective cohort study of 155 older adults surveyed prior to discharge from hospital, of whom 123 were followed up at month 3 and/or month 6 in the community post-discharge. Participants were recruited from three Australian hospitals. Questionnaires captured predictive factors that may predispose to a fall and data related to the objectives being examined. Results: Of the 123 participants who had at least one follow-up, 54 reported discussing falls with a health professional (49 discussed falls with their general practitioners). Of the 54 participants who recalled having a discussion, 33 commented that they were asked whether they had fallen over. Only six discussed interventions to prevent falls. However, 44 stated that they attempted a total of 53 strategies to prevent falls post-discharge. Of these strategies, 40 had an absence of evidence of effectiveness, 11 had evidence of effectiveness, while two had either evidence of no benefit/harm or evidence of harm for the prevention of falls. In all, 53 participants reported falling post-discharge, but 42 of them did not recall discussing falls with their health professional. Conclusion: There is considerable scope for health professionals, especially general practitioners, to increase the frequency with which they discuss falls and evidence-based interventions to prevent falls in this population.

AB - Background: Older adults experience a high rate of falls when they transition to community-living following discharge from hospital. Objectives: To describe the proportion of older adults who could recall having discussed falls and falls prevention strategies with a health professional within 6 months following discharge from hospital. To describe the recalled content of these discussions and the strategies recommended and/or undertaken to prevent falls. Methods: Prospective cohort study of 155 older adults surveyed prior to discharge from hospital, of whom 123 were followed up at month 3 and/or month 6 in the community post-discharge. Participants were recruited from three Australian hospitals. Questionnaires captured predictive factors that may predispose to a fall and data related to the objectives being examined. Results: Of the 123 participants who had at least one follow-up, 54 reported discussing falls with a health professional (49 discussed falls with their general practitioners). Of the 54 participants who recalled having a discussion, 33 commented that they were asked whether they had fallen over. Only six discussed interventions to prevent falls. However, 44 stated that they attempted a total of 53 strategies to prevent falls post-discharge. Of these strategies, 40 had an absence of evidence of effectiveness, 11 had evidence of effectiveness, while two had either evidence of no benefit/harm or evidence of harm for the prevention of falls. In all, 53 participants reported falling post-discharge, but 42 of them did not recall discussing falls with their health professional. Conclusion: There is considerable scope for health professionals, especially general practitioners, to increase the frequency with which they discuss falls and evidence-based interventions to prevent falls in this population.

KW - Discharge

KW - Discussion

KW - Falls

KW - Health Professionals

KW - Interventions

KW - Older Adults

UR - http://hej.sagepub.com/content/75/4/448

U2 - 10.1177/0017896915599562

DO - 10.1177/0017896915599562

M3 - Article

VL - 75

SP - 448

EP - 463

JO - Health Education Journal

JF - Health Education Journal

SN - 0017-8969

IS - 4

ER -