An analysis of fall incidence rate and risk factors in an inpatient rehabilitation unit: A retrospective study.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Accurate prediction of fall likelihood is advantageous for instituting fall prevention program in rehabilitation facilities. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to determine the clinical measures, which can predict the risk of fall events in a rehabilitation hospital. METHODS: Medical records of 166 patients (114 males and 52 females) who were hospitalized in an adult inpatient unit of a rehabilitation hospital were retrospectively analyzed for this study. As predictor variables for assessing fall risk, demographic data and the following measurements were selectively collected from patient's medical records Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment-Ambulation (POMA-G), Timed Up and Go test (TUG), 10 m walk test, 2 min walk test, Korean version Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (KMBI), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), and Morse Fall Scale (Morse FS). RESULTS: The Morse FS, TUG, and age were found to be risk factors for the classification of faller and non-faller groups. CONCLUSION: This study suggests Morse FS, TUG, and age in the routine initial assessment upon admission in a rehabilitation setting, as key variables for screening the risk of fall. Additionally, the cutoff scores of Morse FS and TUG were observed to be more rigid than other clinical settings.