• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.384-391
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• 2023

Among the elderly, fatal injuries and deaths are significantly attributed to falls. Therefore, a pre-impact fall detection system is necessary for injury prevention. In this study, a robust threshold-based algorithm was proposed for pre-impact fall detection, reducing false positives in highly dynamic daily-living movements. The algorithm was validated using public datasets (KFall and FARSEEING) that include the real-world elderly fall. A 6-axis IMU sensor (Movella Dot, Movella, Netherlands) was attached to S2 of 20 healthy adults (aged 22.0±1.9years, height 164.9±5.9cm, weight 61.4±17.1kg) to measure 14 activities of daily living and 11 fall movements at a sampling frequency of 60Hz. A 5Hz low-pass filter was applied to the IMU data to remove high-frequency noise. Sum vector magnitude of acceleration and angular velocity, roll, pitch, and vertical velocity were extracted as feature vector. The proposed algorithm showed an accuracy 98.3%, a sensitivity 100%, a specificity 97.0%, and an average lead-time 311±99ms with our experimental data. When evaluated using the KFall public dataset, an accuracy in adult data improved to 99.5% compared to recent studies, and for the elderly data, a specificity of 100% was achieved. When evaluated using FARSEEING real-world elderly fall data without separate segmentation, it showed a sensitivity of 71.4% (5/7).

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.5 no.10
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• pp.1751-1768
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• 2011

Falls are one of the most concerned accidents for elderly people and often result in serious physical and psychological consequences. Many researchers have studied fall detection techniques in various domain, however none released to a commercial product satisfying user requirements. We present a systematic modeling and evaluating procedure for best classification performance and then do experiments for comparing the performance of six procedures to get a statistical classifier based wrist-type fall detector to prevent dangerous consequences from falls. Even though the wrist may be the most difficult measurement location on the body to discern a fall event, the proposed feature deduction process and fall classification procedures shows positive results by using data sets of fall and general activity as two classes.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.249-260
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the realities related with the in-home falls of the elderly and also the factors that affect on the fails. Method: The data collection was carried out from January 10 to 13, 2005. The subjects of this study were 201 in-home elderly people over age 60 who resided at G city of Jeollabuk-do. Result: The following are the results from the analysis of collected data with using the SPSS program. 1. The number of people who experienced fall injuries was 51.7% within three years. Most cases of falls occurred in winter (52.4%), on roads (52.9%), wearing sports shoes (56.7%), when walking (56.7%), loosing their balance (54.8%), and slipping (54.8%). 2. The factors yielding the difference between the groups of elderly with the experience of fail injury and the group of elderly with no experience of falls showed a statistical significance for gender (p=.000), last academic career (p=.049), and number of people in the family (p=.041). 3. Among the factors related with health, the factors yielding the difference between the group of elderly with the experience of falls and the group of elderly with no experience of fails showed statistical significance for drinking (p=.015), dizziness (p=.000) and level of drug intakes (p=.015). 4. The elderly with the experience of fall injury as compared with the group of aged people with no experience of falls showed a higher degree of depression (p=.009). 5. From the result of logistic regression analysis to explore the factors affecting the experience of fall injury, it was found that there was a significant result for gender (p=.002) and depression (p=.018). Women as compared with men and the elderly with depression showed a higher rate of danger in falls. Conclusion: Based on the above results, it is expected that fall prevention programs are needed with regard to the general characteristics and health related characteristics, that is, the individual danger factors should be focused on such depression and gender as being the most important variables affecting the experience of falls.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.51-62
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide data about the risk factors related to falls among elderly patients with dementia using meta-analysis. Methods: Key words used for search through electronic database (CINAHL, PubMed, Ovid-MEDLINE, RISS, KISS, DBPIA, National Assembly Library) included 'dementia', 'Alzheimer', 'fall'. Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis and 'R' version 3.2.2 was used to analyze the correlated effect size. Results: Study results showed that risk factors related to falls were identified as the demographic (age, gender, education), dementia-related (disease duration, cognition), physical (body mass index, walking, balance, activity of daily living, use of walking aids, number of medications including psychotropic drugs, musculoskeletal problems, parkinsonism, comorbidity), psychological (neuropsychiatric symptom, depression), environmental (Physical environment), and fall-related (fall history, high risk group of fall) factors. The effect size of risk factors such as high risk group of fall (r=.35), use of walking aids (r=.33), depression (r=.31), psychotropic drugs (r=.27), Musculoskeletal problems (r=.25) were higher than the other risk factors. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, strategies to improve elderly patient's depression, intensive care for high risk group of fall, and adequate training with walking aids are needed for prevention of falls in elderly patients with dementia.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.420-427
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• 2011

The population of elderly people increases rapidly as our society moves towards the aged one. Healthcare for the elderly becomes an important issue and falling down is one of the critical problems although not well recognized. In this study, a fall detection system was developed using a 3-axis accelerometer. Analyzing fall patterns, we took into account the degree of impact, posture angle, the repetitions of similar movements and the activities after a potential fall and proposed an algorithm of fall detection. Information of the fall sensor was sent to a remote healthcare server through the wireless networks of Zigbee and WLAN. Our system was designed to monitor multiples users. 12 persons participated in experiment and each one performed 24 different movements. Our proposed algorithm was compared with other reported ones. Our method produced the excellent results having a sensitivity of 96.4 % and a specificity of 100 % whereas other methods had a sensitivity range between 87.5 % and 94.8 % and a specificity range between 63.5 % and 83.3 %.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.391-399
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of fall-prevention exercise programs on fall efficacy, depression and health-related quality of life in elderly. Design: a randomized controlled trial Methods: A total of 57 participants over 65-years-old have been allocated to control and experimental groups. The experimental group received 8 weeks of fall-prevention exercises that included strengthening of lower extremities, balance and gait training. They received the exercises twice a week for 50 minutes as a group.Both groups were assessed using Modified Falls Efficacy Scale (MFES), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) prior and post to the intervention. The control group also received the same exercise program after the post evaluation. Results: The experimental group showed overall improvement in MFES, GDS, and physical components of SF-36 (p<0.05). The MFES was significantly increased in the experimental group after the intervention (p<0.05). The GDS was significantly decreased in the experimental group after the intervention (p<0.05). The SF-36, only physical Function, Role limitations due to physical health, general health, and energy and fatigue categories were improved in the experimental group after the intervention (p<0.05). Conclusions: The results showed 8 weeks of fall-prevention exercise programs can increase fall efficacy and physical related quality of life while reducing depression of elderly over 65.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.53-62
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• 2017

It is very important for the elderly to maintain their independence and to live safe and comfortable daily lives in order to lead an independent life. The bathroom in the house has the greatest number of fall accidents and has a great influence on the independence of the elderly. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to develop a bathroom design method that improves the independence of the elderly whose physical function is deteriorated through preventing falls. In this study, first of all, we investigated the causes of falling in bathrooms based on the previous studies, and identified the intelligent services that can prevent falls and selected them according to individual needs. Secondly, we investigated the bathroom size of the apartment among the various housing type, analyzed the type of the bathroom, and developed a standard type of the bathroom. Thirdly, we analyzed the design guidelines for the elderly residents in Korea and proposed improvement directions. We also divided the intelligent sanitary appliances and fall-prevention products and proposed the installation method and directions. Therefore, the comprehensive bathroom design standards and proposals proposed in this study will be the basis of bathroom design to prevent falls and improve independence of the elderly, and it will be easy to understand and help the designer in designing. Finally, this study is meaningful in that it provides independence of the elderly through fall prevention and increases the easiness of hygiene action and suggests direction to maintain self-sustaining life of the elderly.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.69-78
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• 2017

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine associations between classification of the Geriatric Screening for Care-10 (GSC-10) and the Morse Fall Scale (MFS) among elderly inpatients. Methods: Among elderly inpatients aged over 65 admitted to hospital (from November 1, 2016 to July 31, 2017), the data for 5,780 patients (who were evaluated using the Morse Fall Scale and the Geriatric Screening for Care-10) were analyzed using x2-tests and t-tests to examine differences between the GSC-10 and MFS, according to general characteristics of elderly inpatients (i.e., gender) using IBM SPSS Statistics 24. Results: : Scores for the GSC-10 were significantly higher in women than men for depression (p<.001), delirium (p=.048), functional decline (p<.001), incontinence (p<.001), and pain (p<.001). Statistically significant differences in all domains of the GSC-10 for elderly hospitalized patients were found for the classification of fall risk. Conclusion: The findings of this study, as supported by the GSC-10, indicate that the most common problems experienced by the elderly are related to the risk of falling. In order to reduce the incidence of falls in elderly inpatients, customized fall prevention based on the GSC-10 results is necessary.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.139-147
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was to find out knowledge, fear, and efficacy of fall in the community dwelling elderly and to investigate how the factors were connected to one another. Methods: Data were collected from June to August, 2009 from 101 aged people who aged 65 or older and agreed to participate in this study sampled among elders at 8 halls of the aged in local communities. The subjects were interviewed by a co-researcher and 3 trained assistants in a way of responding to the questionnaire after being read. The data were analyzed through t-test, ANOVA, Turkey's test and Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: Knowledge of fall was affected significantly by whether the living cost was provided or not, fear of fall was affected by sex, level of education, hearing impairment and regular exercise, and efficacy of fall was affected by age, sex, marital status, level of education, hearing impairment, vertigo and regular exercise. The results also showed a negative correlation between fear of fall and efficacy of fall. Conclusion: According to this study, regular exercise can build up knowledge and efficacy of fall and diminish fear of fall. Thus it is highly recommended to include regular exercise in an effective fall-prevention program.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.9-16
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of after aquatic exercise on gait in the Falls Experienced elderly. There were one group : Fall Experienced Elderly Women(n=8). They were tested on their gait (Elapse time of each phase, Stance time of limb, Stride length, Velocity of segment). we took video and analyzed their movement using Ariel Performance Analysis System and compared gait parameters. For data analysis, mean and standard deviation scores were calculated, and correspondence sample t-test and pearson's correlation analysis were used. First, after exercise is short than before exercise on Elapse time of each phase, fall-experience subjects showed meaningful total time. Second, after exercise is short than before exercise on Stance time of limb and Stride length, fall-experience subjects showed meaningful Stride length. Third, after exercise is fast than before exercise on Velocity of segment.