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Fall risk assessment tools for use among older adults in long‐term care settings: A systematic review of the literature
Author(s) -
Nunan Susan,
Brown Wilson Christine,
Henwood Timothy,
Parker Deborah
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
australasian journal on ageing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1741-6612
pISSN - 1440-6381
DOI - 10.1111/ajag.12476
Subject(s) - medicine , risk assessment , reliability (semiconductor) , systematic review , long term care , medline , gerontology , nursing , computer science , power (physics) , physics , computer security , quantum mechanics , political science , law
Objective To conduct a systematic review of published fall risk assessment tools ( FRAT s) tested for predictive validity among older adults in long‐term care ( LTC ). Methods A systematic search was conducted using five databases. Only studies reporting on sensitivity and specificity values, conducted in LTC on populations primarily aged over 60 years, were considered. Results Fifteen papers were included and three different categories of FRAT s emerged: multifactorial assessment tools, functional mobility assessments and algorithms. Several FRAT s showed moderate‐to‐good predictive validity and reliability, with the Modified Fall Assessment Tool and the Peninsula Health Falls Risk Assessment Tool ( PHFRAT ) also demonstrating good feasibility. Conclusion Evidence for the best choice of FRAT for use in LTC remains limited. Further research is warranted for the PHFRAT , recommended for use in LTC by best practice guidelines, before its establishment as the tool of choice for these clinical settings.