Predictors of falling in elderly hospital patients

A prospective study was conducted to determine whether a brief clinical assessment conducted soon after admission can accurately identify older people who fall while staying in an acute hospital. Eighty-eight non-bedfast patients aged 80-99 years took part in the study. Within 3 days of admission, these patients were assessed for the following measures: impaired orientation on the MMSE, psychoactive medication use, evidence of stroke, and impaired ability on the Get-Up-and-Go-test. The major presenting condition for each patient was also recorded. Patients were then followed up to determine whether they fell while in hospital. Impaired orientation on the MMSE, evidence of previous cerebrovascular accident, and major presenting conditions of falls and confusion were significantly associated with falls while in hospital. There was also a trend indicating that psychoactive medication use was elevated in the fallers. In contrast, there was no difference in the proportion of fallers and non-fallers who had impaired ability in the Get-Up-and-Go-test. Of the 15 patients who fell, 13 had two or more risk factors, and after controlling for possible confounding factors of age, sex and length of stay, the presence of two-plus risk factors remained strongly and significantly associated with falls (adjusted OR = 13.43; 95% CI = 1.91 - 94.40). The findings indicate that a simple screening protocol can accurately identify patients at risk of falling while in hospital.