Risk-taking behaviors and falls in community-dwelling older adults: a scoping review protocol

The objectives of this proposed scoping review are to systematically identify the risk-taking behaviors in community-dwelling older adults as well as the methods used to identify these behaviors. This review explores predisposing factors to fall-related, risk-taking behaviors in community-dwelling older adults.

Most falls occur as a result of complex interactions between fall risk factors. Research has identified the role of mobility and environmental factors in falls; however, little is known about the role of risk-taking behaviors on falls.

Studies that explore fall-related, risk-taking behaviors in community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years) will be included for this review. Studies will be considered if they are conducted in a research laboratory or community-based setting. Hospital settings will be considered if the study discusses risk-taking in community-based settings.

A comprehensive literature search will be completed in Ovid AMED, Ovid Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid PsycINFO, EBSCOhost CINAHL and EBSCOhost AgeLine. Only studies published from the year 2000 onward will be considered for inclusion. Studies published in English and French will be considered for inclusion. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts to identify studies for full review. The full texts will then be independently reviewed by the same reviewers to assess eligibility, with a third reviewer available to resolve disagreements. A data extraction tool will be used to extract the data from the studies that meet full eligibility criteria. Data extracted from the texts will be synthesized and reported in table format accompanied by a narrative summary that will connect the results the objective of the scoping review.

Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/r9f7v.