An analysis of fall incidence rate and risk factors in an inpatient rehabilitation unit: A retrospective study

Accurate prediction of fall likelihood is advantageous for instituting fall prevention program in rehabilitation facilities.

This study was designed to determine the clinical measures, which can predict the risk of fall events in a rehabilitation hospital.

Medical records of 166 patients (114 males and 52 females) who were hospitalized in an adult inpatient unit of a rehabilitation hospital were retrospectively analyzed for this study. As predictor variables for assessing fall risk, demographic data and the following measurements were selectively collected from patient's medical records: Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment-Ambulation (POMA-G), Timed Up and Go test (TUG), 10 m walk test, 2 min walk test, Korean version Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (KMBI), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), and Morse Fall Scale (Morse FS).

The Morse FS, TUG, and age were found to be risk factors for the classification of faller and non-faller groups.

This study suggests Morse FS, TUG, and age in the routine initial assessment upon admission in a rehabilitation setting, as key variables for screening the risk of fall. Additionally, the cutoff scores of Morse FS and TUG were observed to be more rigid than other clinical settings.