Determinants of Harm in Fall Incidents in Hospital Settings With 200 or More Beds in Korea

Falls are a significant patient safety concern in hospital settings, often resulting in unintended harm. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for falls in Korean hospitals with 200 or more beds, analyzing 13,034 incidents reported to the Korean Patient Safety Reporting and Learning System from 2017 to 2021.

The level of harm was classified into 3 categories: near-miss, adverse, and sentinel events. Hospital-related factors (hospital type, bed capacity, and location and time of fall incident) and patient-related factors (sex, age group, and admitting medical department) were included in the analysis. χ 2 tests were used to evaluate differences in fall severity, and binary logistic regression identified factors associated with harmful incidents.

The study found that harmful falls were more likely to occur in nontertiary hospitals, particularly those with >500 beds, as well as in emergency departments. Furthermore, older female patients and those admitted to the internal medicine department are especially at risk.

Based on the results of this study, especially in nontertiary hospitals with >500 beds, comprehensive strategies for preventing falls, including the promotion of patient safety culture, are needed to reduce fall occurrence and its associated disabilities.