Investigating Falls Risk Awareness in Hospitals Using the Self-Awareness of Falls Risk Measure (SAFRM): Empirical...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Patient Safety
• Health Education

Background:

• Inpatient falls pose a significant risk to patient safety and well-being in hospital settings.
• Accurate patient awareness of falls risk is crucial for effective prevention strategies.
• Existing measures may not fully capture the nuances of patient perception regarding falls risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate patients' awareness of their falls risk within a hospital environment.
• To utilize Section A of the Self-Awareness of Falls Risk Measure (SAFRM) for assessing patient falls risk perception.
• To compare patient falls risk awareness with that of healthcare professionals.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in three rural/regional hospitals in Victoria, Australia.
• Participants included 77 patients (aged ≥40 years) and 58 healthcare professionals, recruited via purposive sampling.
• Data on falls risk awareness were collected using Section A of the SAFRM, with exclusions for low cognitive scores (SMMSE <18).

Main Results:

• A significant disparity was found in falls risk awareness between patients and clinicians (p=0.038).
• Patients were more likely to overestimate their falls risk if using anticoagulant medication or having less than Year 11 education.
• Exploratory factor analysis identified three key awareness domains: Physical Activity, Cognitive, and Balance.

Conclusions:

• There is a significant difference in falls risk awareness between hospital inpatients and healthcare professionals.
• Section A of the SAFRM is a reliable tool for identifying discrepancies in falls risk perception.
• Findings highlight the need for tailored falls prevention education, considering factors like medication and education level.