Falls on an inpatient rehabilitation spinal injuries unit: the characteristics, circumstances, and consequences

Abstract

Study design: Retrospective audit OBJECTIVES: To describe the nature of falls and fallers in a spinal injuries unit (SIU) and identify factors associated with having more than one fall (recurrent fallers) and falls with physical or psychological consequences (consequential falls).

Setting: An Australian inpatient rehabilitation SIU.

Methods: Data were retrospectively extracted from falls incident reports and electronic medical records over a 5-year period. Data were analysed descriptively to summarise participant and fall details. Univariate analyses identified candidate variables for further investigation in a multivariate model for recurrent fallers and consequential falls.

Results: Of the 566 persons admitted to the SIU, 132 (23%) participants experienced 207 falls over the 5 years. Of the fallers, 41 (31%) were recurrent fallers experiencing between 2 and 7 falls and 78 (59%) experienced a consequential fall. No significant variables were identified for recurrent fallers. For consequential falls, older age (OR = 1.038, 95% CI, 1.012 to 1.064, p = 0.004) and female gender (OR = 3.581, 95% CI, 1.269 to 10.103, p = 0.016) were significant, as well as falls that occurred on a Sunday (OR = 0.196, 95% CI, 0.061 to 0.630, p = 0.006). Falls while transferring were less likely to be consequential (OR = 4.100, 95% CI, 1.706 to 9.856, p = 0.002).

Conclusions: Nearly one quarter of SIU inpatients experienced a fall with almost a third of those who fell experiencing recurrent falls. Older age, female gender, and Sundays were risk factors for falls with consequence.

Fig. 1. The three most common activities completed at the time of the fall and locations.

SIU Spinal injuries unit.

Fig. 2. Consequential falls compared to non-consequential falls for each activity.

W/C wheelchair, MSCC mobile shower commode chair.