Tijana Mihaljcic1, Terry P Haines2, Jennie L Ponsford3, Renerus J Stolwyk4. 1. School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 2. Department of Physiotherapy, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Allied Health Research Unit, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 3. School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 4. School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Allied Health Research Unit, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: Rene.Stolwyk@monash.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To characterize self-awareness in older adults undergoing inpatient rehabilitation and explore factors associated with reduced awareness of falls risk. DESIGN: Prospective, cross-sectional design. SETTING: Older adult inpatient rehabilitation setting. PARTICIPANTS: Rehabilitation inpatients (N=91; mean age, 77.97±8.04y) and their treating physiotherapist. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Three aspects of self-awareness (intellectual, emergent, anticipatory) were measured using the Self-Awareness of Falls Risk Measure. Demographic, medical, and cognitive (Mini-Mental State Examination) information were collected. Current ability was measured using the FIM and timed Up and Go test. RESULTS: Of the patients in the sample, 31% to 63% underestimated falls risk and 3% to 10% overestimated falls risk depending on the aspect of awareness measured. Different aspects of reduced self-awareness were correlated with being a man, higher educational attainment, neurologic history, lower cognitive ability, and lower functional ability. Regression analysis indicated that sex (β=-.33, P=.004), education (β=-.30, P=.006), and neurologic history (β=-.22, P=.038) were independently associated with overall self-awareness. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that a proportion of older adults undergoing inpatient rehabilitation underestimate personal falls risk. Further research is required to investigate the contributors to and effects of reduced self-awareness of falls risk. Greater understanding of these factors will facilitate the development of strategies to increase awareness of falls risk and increase engagement in falls prevention.
OBJECTIVE: To characterize self-awareness in older adults undergoing inpatient rehabilitation and explore factors associated with reduced awareness of falls risk. DESIGN: Prospective, cross-sectional design. SETTING: Older adult inpatient rehabilitation setting. PARTICIPANTS: Rehabilitation inpatients (N=91; mean age, 77.97±8.04y) and their treating physiotherapist. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Three aspects of self-awareness (intellectual, emergent, anticipatory) were measured using the Self-Awareness of Falls Risk Measure. Demographic, medical, and cognitive (Mini-Mental State Examination) information were collected. Current ability was measured using the FIM and timed Up and Go test. RESULTS: Of the patients in the sample, 31% to 63% underestimated falls risk and 3% to 10% overestimated falls risk depending on the aspect of awareness measured. Different aspects of reduced self-awareness were correlated with being a man, higher educational attainment, neurologic history, lower cognitive ability, and lower functional ability. Regression analysis indicated that sex (β=-.33, P=.004), education (β=-.30, P=.006), and neurologic history (β=-.22, P=.038) were independently associated with overall self-awareness. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that a proportion of older adults undergoing inpatient rehabilitation underestimate personal falls risk. Further research is required to investigate the contributors to and effects of reduced self-awareness of falls risk. Greater understanding of these factors will facilitate the development of strategies to increase awareness of falls risk and increase engagement in falls prevention.
Authors: Puck C R van der Vet; Jip Q Kusen; Manuela Rohner-Spengler; Björn-Christian Link; Roderick M Houwert; Matthias Knobe; Reto Babst; Christoph Henzen; Lukas Schmid; Frank J P Beeres Journal: Medicina (Kaunas) Date: 2021-06-07 Impact factor: 2.430