Abstract
Background: Elderly, occupational retirees.(1) In KSA, 51% of the elderly report a history of falls at leastonce in the past 12 months, and half of them have a history of recurrent falls, with larger ratesin certainchronic disease groups.(5) With serious injuries there occur complications and high economic costs. The objective of the study is to evaluate the primary health care physicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the screening and prevention of elderly falls.
Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted at the ALWAZART Center at PRINCE SULTAN MEDICAL MILITARY CITY in RIYADH City, KSA. A total of 86 questionnaires out of 96 distributed having 30 questions about physicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices were completed and returned for a response rate of 90%. Data were analyzed using SPSS. The p-value for significance was<0.05.
Results: The knowledge of physicians was divided into the categories of good, 27.9%; intermediate, 39.5%; low, 31.4%; and very low, 1.2%.Of the physicians, 35.5% do not follow any guidelines regarding elderly fall screening and prevention, 15% always ask for the previous history of falls, 19.8% prescribe Vitamin D for fall prevention, 26.7% always advise exercise, and 53.5% have never been trained in the screening and prevention of falls among the elderly.
Conclusion: From the results of the study, we found different levels of knowledge among the physicians regarding the screening and prevention of falls among the elderly, with the greatest proportion at the intermediate level (=34: 39.5%). Further studies and professional educational programs are required and local recommendations and an approved screening scale are needed.
Keyword: prevention, physicians, screening, elderly, knowledge, falls.
References
- Proposed working definition of an older person in Africa for the MDS Project [Internet]. World Health Organization. World Health Organization; [cited 2017Aug1]. Available from: http://www.who.int/healthinfo/survey/ageingdefnolder/en/4. World Health Organization: Towards policy for health & aging, 2011.
- Definition of “fall”: Cambridge English Dictionary [Internet]. Dictionary. cambridge.org. 2017 [cited 18 October 2017]. Available from: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fall.
- Important Facts about Falls [Internet]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2017 [cited 2017Aug1]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html.
- A Global Report on Falls Prevention Epidemiology of Falls [Internet]. [cited 19 October 2017]. Available from: http://www.who.int/ageing/projects/1.Epidemiology%20of%20falls%20in%20older%20age.pdf.
- Al Senany S, Al Saif A. Assessment of physical health status and quality of life among Saudi older adults. Journal of physical therapy science 2015;27(6):1691-1695.
- Alexander BH, Rivara FP, Wolf ME. The cost and frequency of hospitalization for fall-related injuries in older adults. American Journal of Public Health 1992;82(7):1020-1023.
- Sterling DA, O'Connor JA, Bonadies J. Geriatric falls: injury severity is high and disproportionate to mechanism. Journal of Trauma–Injury, Infection and Critical Care 2001;50(1):116-119.
- Incidence of and Risk Factors for Falls and Injurious Falls among the Community-dwelling Elderly [Internet]. researchgate. [cited 19 October 2017]. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Samy_Suissa/publication/31332859_Incidence_of_and_Risk_Factors_for_Falls_and_Injurious_Falls_among_the_Community-dwelling_Elderly/links/0deec51ee7ca6a71b2000000/Incidence-of-and-Risk-Factors-for-Falls-and-Injurious-Falls-among-the-Community-dwelling-Elderly.pdf.
- Owens PL, Russo CA, Spector W, Mutter R. Emergency department visits for injurious falls among the elderly, 2006: Statistical Brief#80.
- Falls in older people: assessing risk and prevention | Guidance and guidelines | NICE [Internet]. Nice.org.uk. 2013 [cited 19 October 2017]. Available from: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg161/chapter/1-recommendations.
- Summary of the Updated American Geriatrics Society/British Geriatrics Society Clinical Practice Guideline for Prevention of Falls in Older Persons [Internet]. americangeriatrics.org. [cited 19 October 2017]. Available from: https://www.americangeriatrics.org/files/documents/health_care_pros/JAGS.Falls.Guidelines.pdf.
- Falls in older persons: Risk factors and patient evaluation [Internet]. [cited 2016 Mar 5]. Available from: http://www.uptodate.com/contents/falls-in-older-persons-risk-factors-and-patient-evaluation.
- Lanier J, Mote M, Clay E. Evaluation and Management of Orthostatic Hypotension [Internet]. Aafp.org. 2011 [cited 19 October 2017]. Available from: http://www.aafp.org/afp/2011/0901/p527.html.
- Pirozzo S, Papinczak T, Glasziou P. Whispered voice test for screening for hearing impairment in adults and children: systematic review. BMJ 2003; 327:967.
- Moyer VA, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Prevention of falls in community-dwelling older adults: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med 2012; 157:197.
- Cameron ID, Murray GR, Gillespie LD, Robertson MC, Hill KD, Cumming RG, et al. Interventions for preventing falls in older people in nursing care facilities and hospitals. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2010;(1):CD005465.
- [Internet]. surveysystem.com. [cited 19 October 2017]. Available from: https://www.surveysystem.com/sample-size-formula.htm.
- Research Randomizer [Internet]. Randomizer.org. [cited 19 October 2017]. Available from: https://www.randomizer.org.
Corresponding Author
Saad Shebnan Alshahrani
Department of Family Medicine, Prince Sultan Medical Militıary City, Alwazarat Health Care Center, Rıyadh, KSA
Phone: 966567999456, Email: saadshebnan@gmaıl.com
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v7i1.75
