Prevalence of suspected poor bone health in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - a cross-sectional exploratory study.

BACKGROUND: Compared to the general population, adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have an increased prevalence of osteoporosis. Despite the known risk factors and potential complications of compromised bone health in COPD, little is known about whether poor bone health is routinely suspected. We measured, in people with COPD, the prevalence of those who had one or more indicators suggestive of suspected poor bone health, and compared the characteristics of those with versus without these indicators. METHODS: Data were collected from adults with COPD presenting to three tertiary hospitals. Indicators of suspected poor bone health were defined as any of the following criteria: (i) self-reported problems with bone health, (ii) previous imaging for bone health, (iii) history of fragility fracture or, (iv) advised to use medication/supplements to optimise bone health. Characteristics compared between those with versus without indicators of suspected poor bone health comprised age, sex, body mass index (BMI), FEV1% predicted and recruitment setting. RESULTS: 361 participants were included (age 70 ± 10, BMI 27.9 ± 7.8 kg/m2, FEV1% predicted 49 ± 20; 161 [45%] female). Indicators suggestive of suspected poor bone health were present in 53% (95% confidence interval [CI] 47-58) of the participants. The odds of this outcome increased with advancing age (odds ratio; OR [95% CI] 1.05 [1.03 to 1.08]) and being female (OR [95% CI] 3.4 [2.2 to 5.7]) . CONCLUSION: In people with COPD, the odds of having indicators suggestive of suspected poor bone health increase with advancing age and in females. Further work is required to promote the importance of bone health in this population.

Using comprehensive geriatric assessment for older adults undertaking a facility-based transition care program to evaluate functional outcomes: a feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in a residential transition care setting to measure older adults' functional outcomes. METHODS: A convenience sample of older adults (n = 10) and staff (n = 4) was recruited. The feasibility of using assessment tools that comprise a CGA to comprehensively measure function in physical, cognitive, social and emotional domains was evaluated pre- and post-rehabilitation. RESULTS: 10 older adults (mean ± SD age = 78.9 ± 9.1, n = 6 male) completed a CGA performed using assessments across physical, cognitive, social and emotional domains. The CGA took 55.9 ± 7.3 min to complete. Staff found CGA using the selected assessment tools to be acceptable and suitable for the transition care population. Older adults found the procedure to be timely and 60% found the assessments easy to comprehend. Participating in CGA also assisted older adults in understanding their present state of health. The older adults demonstrated improvements across all assessed domains including functional mobility (de Morton Mobility Index; baseline 41.5 ± 23.0, discharge 55.0 ± 24.0, p = 0.01) and quality of life (EQ-5D-5L; baseline 59.0 ± 21.7, discharge 78.0 ± 16.0, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating CGA to evaluate functional outcomes in transition care using a suite of assessment tools was feasible and enabled a holistic assessment.

Connecting and reconnecting to a community, with a sense of belonging - Exploring Aboriginal Elders' perspectives of engaging in a physical activity program.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Culturally appropriate physical activity (PA) programs have values and principles that respect local community culture and knowledge. However, in Western Australia (WA) there were no opportunities for older Aboriginal peoples to engage in a culturally appropriate PA program. The study objective was to explore how engaging in a culturally appropriate PA program impacted on the lived experiences of Aboriginal Elders. METHODS: A qualitative exploratory study was conducted using an Indigenous methodology. Participants were Aboriginal Elders in Noongar Country in WA . Two groups, engaged in the Ironbark program, which consisted of weekly exercise and a yarning circle. The program was developed in NSW specifically for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples and adapted for use in WA. Semi-structured interviews utilising a yarning approach were facilitated by a Noongar Wadjuk researcher. Inductive thematic analysis was undertaken. RESULTS: Nineteen Elders were interviewed. The overarching theme was that participation led to connecting and reconnecting to community with a sense of belonging. Elders affirmed the program as being appropriate and comfortable. They described experiences that were grouped into three main themes of Positive mental and emotional changes, Physical improvements and Social benefits. CONCLUSIONS: Aboriginal Elders valued the opportunity to engage in a culturally appropriate PA program. Benefits were appreciated as holistic in nature, with Elders seeing improvements in their mental, physical and emotional health. SO WHAT?: Increasing access to culturally appropriate, decolonised PA programs is a fundamental health promotion approach for working with older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Educating hospital patients to prevent falls: protocol for a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Falls prevention in hospitals is an ongoing challenge worldwide. Despite a wide variety of recommended falls mitigation strategies, few have strong evidence for effectiveness in reducing falls and accompanying injuries. Patient education programmes that promote engagement and enable people to understand their heightened falls risk while hospitalised are one approach. The aim of this scoping review is to examine the content, design and outcomes of patient education approaches to hospital falls prevention. As well as critiquing the role of patient education in hospital falls prevention, strategies that can be used in clinical practice shall be recommended. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The analysis will apply the methodological framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley and refined by the Joanna Briggs Institute. An initial limited search of Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and PubMed will be completed to identify keywords and index terms. A developed search strategy of Medical Subject Headings and text words will be conducted of PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, PsychINFO, Education Resources Information Center and grey literature databases from January 2008 to current. The reference lists of included articles will be hand searched for additional studies. Two reviewers will screen the titles and abstracts independently and analyse the full text of potential articles based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data will be extracted using a structured data form. Thematic analysis and numerical synthesis of the data will be conducted, and key themes will be identified. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Results of this scoping review will illuminate the designs and outcomes of patient education research for hospital falls prevention in the current literature. It is anticipated that the findings will highlight best-practice educational design to inform the development of future patient-focused education for falls prevention. Study findings will be presented at relevant conferences and public forums, and published in peer-reviewed journals. Ethics approval is not required.

Evaluating the impact of a falls prevention community of practice in a residential aged care setting: a realist approach.

BACKGROUND: Falls are a major socio-economic problem among residential aged care (RAC) populations resulting in high rates of injury including hip fracture. Guidelines recommend that multifactorial prevention strategies are implemented but these require translation into clinical practice. A community of practice (CoP) was selected as a suitable model to support translation of the best available evidence into practice, as it could bring together like-minded people with falls expertise and local clinical knowledge providing a social learning opportunity in the pursuit of a common goal; falls prevention. The aims of this study were to evaluate the impact of a falls prevention CoP on its membership; actions at facility level; and actions at organisation level in translating falls prevention evidence into practice. METHODS: A convergent, parallel mixed methods evaluation design based on a realist approach using surveys, audits, observations and semi-structured interviews. Participants were 20 interdisciplinary staff nominating as CoP members between Nov 2013-Nov 2015 representing 13 facilities (approximately 780 beds) of a RAC organisation. The impact of the CoP was evaluated at three levels to identify how the CoP influenced the observed outcomes in the varying contexts of its membership (level i.), the RAC facility (level ii.) and RAC organisation (level iii.). RESULTS: Staff participating as CoP members gained knowledge and awareness in falls prevention (p < 0.001) through connecting and sharing. Strategies prioritised and addressed at RAC facility level culminated in an increase in the proportion of residents supplemented with vitamin D (p = 0.002) and development of falls prevention education. At organisation level a falls policy reflecting preventative evidence-based guidelines and a new falls risk assessment procedure with aligned management plans were written, modified and implemented. A key disenabling mechanism identified by CoP members was limited time to engage in translation of evidence into practice whilst enabling mechanisms included proactive behaviours by staff and management. CONCLUSIONS: Interdisciplinary staff participating in a falls prevention CoP gained connectivity and knowledge and were able to facilitate the translation of falls prevention evidence into practice in the context of their RAC facility and RAC organisation. Support from RAC organisational and facility management to make the necessary investment in staff time to enable change in falls prevention practice is essential for success.

Using a community of practice to evaluate falls prevention activity in a residential aged care organisation: a clinical audit.

Objective This study evaluates whether a community of practice (CoP) could conduct a falls prevention clinical audit and identify gaps in falls prevention practice requiring action. Methods Cross-sectional falls prevention clinical audits were conducted in 13 residential aged care (RAC) sites of a not-for-profit organisation providing care to a total of 779 residents. The audits were led by an operationalised CoP assisted by site clinical staff. A CoP is a group of people with a shared interest who get together to innovate for change. The CoP was made up of self-nominated staff representing all RAC sites and comprised of staff from various disciplines with a shared interest in falls prevention. Results All 13 (100%) sites completed the audit. CoP conduct of the audit met identified criteria for an effective clinical audit. The priorities for improvement were identified as increasing the proportion of residents receiving vitamin D supplementation (mean 41.5%, s.d. 23.7) and development of mandatory falls prevention education for staff and a falls prevention policy, as neither was in place at any site. CoP actions undertaken included a letter to visiting GPs requesting support for vitamin D prescription, surveys of care staff and residents to inform falls education development, defining falls and writing a falls prevention policy. Conclusion A CoP was able to effectively conduct an evidence-based falls prevention activity audit and identify gaps in practice. CoP members were well positioned, as site staff, to overcome barriers and facilitate action in falls prevention practice. What is known about the topic? Audit and feedback is an effective way of measuring clinical quality and safety. CoPs have been established in healthcare using workplace staff to address clinical problems but little is known about their ability to audit and influence practice change. What does this paper add? This study contributes to the body of knowledge on CoPs in healthcare by evaluating the performance of one in the domain of falls prevention audit action. What are the implications for practitioners? A CoP is an effective model to engage staff in the clinical audit process. Clinical audits can raise staff awareness of gaps in practice and motivate staff to plan and action change as recommended in best practice guidelines.

Falls prevention in older adults - assessment and management.

BACKGROUND: Falls increase with age, with substantial patient harm resulting in high healthcare utilisation. High level evidence exists for a range of effective falls prevention strategies. OBJECTIVE: To provide an evidence based update of falls prevention recommendations, applicable to the primary care setting. DISCUSSION: For older adults in the community, exercise programs and vitamin D supplementation in those with deficiency are highly effective in preventing falls. Psychoactive drug withdrawal, home visits, vision optimisation and a multifactorial approach are also effective. In residential aged care, routine vitamin D supplementation is highly effective in preventing falls and fractures. General practitioners are well placed to identify those at risk of falls and implement prevention strategies utilising other healthcare professionals as required. The general practitioner's role in educating and supporting patient behaviour change is critical to the uptake of falls prevention recommendations.