• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.57-70
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• 2019

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors for falls in tertiary hospital inpatients and to suggest data for developing a nursing intervention program for preventing falls. Methods: Data were collected between January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2017. Kaplan-Meier estimation was used to measure the survival rate, and the log-rank test was used for the differences between the fall group and the non-fall group. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify the risk factors for falls. Results: The incidence rate of falls for the inpatients was 1.2 cases per 1,000 days of hospitalization. The risk factors for falls were more likely to be found among those who were aged ${\geq}81$, had not undergone surgery, had poor joint motion, had unsteady gait, needed help or supervision, used assistive devices, had comorbidity, and took at least two drugs. Conclusion: For the inpatients, the risk factors for falls included age, surgery, comorbidity, medication that could change mobility, joint motion, and use of patient care equipment. It is necessary to give special attention to inpatients who have any of these risk factors and to develop a falls risk assessment tool.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.66-77
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• 2022

Objective: This study is a systematic review conducted to analyze the environmental factors that cause falls in the older adult. Design: Systematic review Methods: The study was conducted by searching the Research Information Sharing Service (RISS), Korean studies Information Service System (KISS), and Data Base Periodical Information Academic (DBpia) databases for literature published in South Korea up to July 2020. A total of 12 studies were selected for analysis based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: The results of the analysis revealed that all the selected literature were surveys and the study subjects were 65 years of age and above. The sample size ranged from a minimum of 95 subjects to a maximum of 3,278. A total of eight tools were used to measure the environmental factors associated with falls. The prevalence and recurrence of falls increase with age and deterioration of health. Older adult individuals who experience falls encounter difficulties in recovering from impaired physical function and disability; moreover, in severe cases, falls may lead to death. Falls are largely associated with a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic (i.e., environmental) factors. The purpose of this study was to assess potential extrinsic risk factors for falls. Falls occur in indoor environments, such as washrooms, bathrooms and living rooms, and outdoor environments, including roads and stairways, depending on the season, time of day, and use of ambulatory aids. In such environments, falls are mainly caused by slipping and stuttering. Conclusions: Therefore, as the rate of fall is influenced by several factors, extrinsic factors should be improved by developing comprehensive accident prevention programs that address the improvement of environmental risk factors around places of residence to reduce risk factors among the older adult, who, especially, are at a high risk for falls.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.19-28
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• 2008

Purpose: We analyzed the incidence of falls and the related factors, circumstances, and consequences associated with falls in stroke patients. Methods: We recruited 127 stroke patients and used a self-reported questionnaire to measure fall prevalence rates and the related factors, circumstances, and consequences of falls. The chi-square test was used to establish associations between related factors. Results: The prevalence of falls in stroke patients was 69.3%, and was associated with gender and time since the stroke. Falls occurred 2-5 times (55.4%) poststroke and most subjects first fall in the 2$\sim$6 month (46.5%) after the stroke. Most (55%) falls occurred at the hospital. Walking was the most frequent circumstance for falls (38.5%). Most (54.4%) falls led to consequences such as fractures, ligament strains, bruises, or abrasions. Conclusion: Fall-prevention strategies decrease the number of falls and the severity of fall-related injuries. These data support the concept of preventive strategies for falls in stroke patients who are at risk.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.200-207
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was done to identify factors influencing falls in inpatients. A comprehensive analysis of individual, disease, and environment related factors and an assessment of being in a risk factor group were included in the data. Method: The medical records of 325 inpatients were reviewed. Data were collected from January to July 2003. Frequencies, 1-test and $X^2-test$ were used to analyze the data and the SPSS program was used. Results: Individual-related factors for inpatients falls were age, drinking and weakness. Disease-related factors for inpatients falls were diagnostic department, admission from ER or OPD, admission by wheelchair or orther method and activity status. Environment-related factors for inpatient falls were re-education and side-rails. Assessment of the risk factor group related factors were age, history of falls, body balance, depression, communication, medication, chronic disease, urinary condition and total score for risk factors. Conclusion: Experienceing a fall among Korean inpatients was associated not only with individual factors, but also with disease and environmental factors. The findings of this study suggest that broad intervention programs should be provided to prevent inpatient falls.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.595-604
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for pediatric inpatients falls. Methods: The study was a matched case-control design. The participants were 279 patients under the age of 6 who were admitted between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2009. Through chart reviews, 93 pediatric patients who fell and 186 ones who did not fall were paired by gender, age, diagnosis, and length of stay. Five experts evaluated the 38 fall risk factors selected by the researchers. Results: In a general hospital, pediatric patients with secondary diagnosis, tests that need the patient to be moved, intravenous lines, hyperactivity, anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics, and general anesthetics showed significance for falls on adjusted-odds ratios. Conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to elucidate the factors that influence pediatric inpatient falls. The probability of falls increased with hyperactivity and general weakness. Patients who didn't have tests that required them to be moved and intravenous line had a higher risk of falls. Conclusion: These findings provide information that is relevant in developing fall risk assessment tools and prevention programs for pediatric inpatient falls.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.202-210
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• 2017

Purpose: In this study an investigation was done of injuries from inpatient falls and diagnostic tests and treatment after falls to identify what factors affect the occurrence of injury from inpatient falls in a tertiary hospital. Methods: Data for this cross-sectional study were retrieved for 428 fall events from data reported between January 1 and December 31, 2015 and were retrieved from the patient-safety reporting system in the hospital's electronic health records. A multivariate logistic regression model was developed with STATA 13.0. Results: Of the patients, 197 (46.0%) had physical injuries due to falls, 119 (27.8%) were given further diagnostic tests, and 358 (83.6%) received treatment including close observation after inpatient falls. Logistic-regression results identified that age, department, and risk factors had significant impact on injuries from falls. Conclusion: Findings indicate that to reduce the severity of injury after inpatient falls, each hospital should regularly evaluate identified factors, design fall-prevention practices specialized for elders and vulnerable patients, and initiate environmental and equipment innovations.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.141-149
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify risk factors of accidental falls by age in the Korean elderly. Methods: The study subjects included 10,242 community-dwelling elders aged 65 or over. The data were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. Results: The risk factors of accidental falls in the younger old group (aged 65~74) include fear of falling (OR=16.28, 95% CI: 12.03~22.03), depression (OR=1.24, 95% CI: 1.06~1.44), and hearing impairment (OR=1.20, 95% CI: 1.01~1.43). The risk factors of accidental falls in the older old group (aged 75~84) include fear of falling (OR=11.54, 95% CI: 7.04~18.93), muscle strength (OR=1.36, 95% CI: 1.15~1.60), number of chronic disease (OR=1.65, 95% CI: 1.09~2.50), and presence of spouse (OR=1.27, 95% CI: 1.06~1.51). The risk factors of accidental falls in the oldest old group (aged 85 years old or older) include fear of falling (OR=8.05, 95% CI: 1.85~34.98) and exercise (OR=2.91, 95% CI: 1.36~6.24). Fear of falling is defined as a common factor in the all age groups. Conclusion: Different strategies should be developed for age groups to prevent elderly falls with understanding of contributing factors of falls in each group.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.21-34
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• 2010

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate risk factors for falls in the elderly by life-cycle. Methods: This study used the data on 435 male and female elderly generated from a survey taken at 21 Welfare Centers for the Elderly in Seoul. The incidence of demographic characteristics, physical changes brought about with ageing, health-related behavior, chronic diseases, and environmental characteristics on falls in the elderly was analyzed. Hierarchical Logistic Regression analysis was also conducted to investigate the incidence by life-cycle (early-mid-late stage) and the results were used for predicting falls. Results: The incidence of risk factors on falls varied across life-cycle. Among the elderly in the early (ages from 65 through 74), marital status, the existence of a companion, the quality of sleep, the chronic diseases, and the condition of the bathroom floor were found to be related to falls. Among those in the mid-stage (ages from 75 through 84), sex, marital status, the existence of a companion, hearing capacity, sense of balancing, chronic diseases, the exclusive use of rooms, and the side bar with bath tub were found to affect falls. Finally, for the elderly in their late stage (85 years of age and older), drinking and vision were found to be related to falls. Conclusion: The incidence of risk factors on falls was found to vary according the stage in the elderly. A key implication of this finding is that falls prevention programs and interventions must be catered to specific age sub-groups.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.676-684
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors for falls and to suggest data for developing a program for preventing falls. Methods: This was a case-control study in five university hospitals and a general hospital. In total, 216 patients over the age of 18 yr admitted from January 1 to December 31, 2007 participated. One hundred eight patients with experience of falling were matched by gender, age level, diagnosis, and length of stay with 108 patents with no experience of falling admitted on the same unit. A quality assurance coordinator nurse in each hospital examined 35 fall risk factors developed by researchers. Results: In acute hospitals, history of falls, orientation ability, dizziness or vertigo, general weakness, urination problems, transfer/mobility difficulty, walking dependency, impatience, benzodiazepines, diuretics, and vasodilators showed significance on adjusted-odds ratios for fall. Logistic regression analysis was performed to elucidate the factors that influence falls. The probability of falls was increased by dizziness/vertigo, general weakness, and impatience/agitation. Conclusion: This finding can be used as a useful resource in developing nursing intervention programs to predict and prevent the falls of inpatients.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.89-101
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and factors related to falls occurring among the community-dwelling elderly. Methods: The subjects were 299 community-dwelling-elderly in Jeju Province. Data were collected via in-person interviews by five visiting nurses in October, 2012. Fall risk assessment tools developed by the CDC, K-ADL, HDS-K, and GDS were used for data collection. Results: A significant number of subjects (34.1%) had experienced a fall at least once within the last six months. Living arrangements, strokes, urinary incontinence, main daily activities, and depression were significant factors related to these falls. Other risk factors included heavy use of medications, difficulties in walking and standing, needing arms to stand up from a chair, and hearing loss. Conclusion: The results reveal critical factors related to falls among the community-dwelling elderly. These information should be used to develop and implement fall prevention programs in communities.