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Setting the criterion for fall risk screening for healthy community-dwelling elderly
Shinichi Demura1, Susumu Sato, Sohee Shin
1Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan.
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
|May 17, 2011
Summary
A new screening method using Demura's Fall Risk Assessment (DFRA) chart effectively identifies high-risk elderly individuals. This method, focusing on the "potential for falling" score, shows better accuracy than existing charts in predicting falls.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Falls are a significant concern for elderly health.
- Effective screening tools are needed to identify at-risk individuals in community settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a criterion for screening high-risk elderly using the Demura's Fall Risk Assessment (DFRA) chart.
- To compare the effectiveness of DFRA with the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology (TMIG) fall risk assessment chart.
Main Methods:
- 1122 healthy elderly individuals (≥60 years) participated.
- Fall risk was assessed using DFRA and TMIG charts.
- Receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate screening accuracy based on fall experience.
Main Results:
- The DFRA's "potential for falling" score demonstrated superior predictive accuracy (AUC=0.797) compared to the overall TMIG score (AUC=0.654) and DFRA score (AUC=0.680).
- This specific DFRA assessment component proved more effective in identifying individuals with a history of falls.
Conclusions:
- The "potential for falling" assessment using DFRA is a valuable tool for screening high-risk elderly in community settings.
- Further prospective studies are recommended to validate these findings.
