PTJ
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

PHYS THER
Vol. 78, No. 12, December 1998, pp. 1262-1276
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when Rapid Responses are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Braun, B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Braun, B.

Article

Knowledge and perception of fall-related risk factors and fall-reduction techniques among community-dwelling elderly individuals

BL Braun

Health Research Center, Institute for Research and Education, HealthSystem Minnesota, Minneapolis 55805, USA. braun.b@hsmnet.com

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Falls are a major cause of death and disability among older adults. Fall-related knowledge among community-dwelling elderly individuals, however, is unknown. The purposes of this study were to assess the perception of falling as a health problem, to determine the perceived importance of fall-related risk factors, and to identify personal characteristics and attitudes associated with perceived importance of fall-related risk factors among community-dwelling elderly people. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Resident council meeting attendees in 3 apartment buildings for elderly persons completed a self-administered survey (N=120). Items assessed factors influencing falls by the respondents (n=52) or falls among elderly persons (n=68). The data were analyzed by chi-square test, analysis of variance, and linear regression. RESULTS: Falling during the previous month was reported by 10.1% of the subjects. Eighty-six percent of the subjects considered falling to be a preventable health problem and viewed falling as a moderately important concern compared with other health concerns. Exterior environmental factors such as pavement conditions and handrails were perceived as most likely to cause falls. The perceived personal likelihood of falling due to these risk factors was markedly lower compared with the perceived risk for other elderly persons. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: The community-dwelling elderly individuals studied considered falls to be preventable and understood the importance of fall-related risk factors, but they did not consider themselves to be susceptible to falling.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Am. J. Public HealthHome page
K. Hughes, E. van Beurden, E. G. Eakin, L. M. Barnett, E. Patterson, J. Backhouse, S. Jones, D. Hauser, J. R. Beard, and B. Newman
Older Persons' Perception of Risk of Falling: Implications for Fall-Prevention Campaigns
Am J Public Health, February 1, 2008; 98(2): 351 - 357.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Health Educ ResHome page
L Yardley, M Donovan-Hall, K Francis, and C Todd
Older people's views of advice about falls prevention: a qualitative study
Health Educ. Res., August 1, 2006; 21(4): 508 - 517.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci.Home page
S. J. HERDMAN, M. C. SCHUBERT, and R. J. TUSA
Strategies for Balance Rehabilitation: Fall Risk and Treatment
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., October 1, 2001; 942(1): 394 - 412.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1998 by the American Physical Therapy Association.