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. 2023 Jul;36(4):702-724.
doi: 10.1111/jar.13104. Epub 2023 Apr 19.

Preventing falls at home among people with intellectual disabilities: A scoping review

Alison J Doherty  1   2   3 , Valerio Benedetto  1   2   3 , Catherine Harris  1   2   3 , Julie Ridley  1   4 , Annette O'Donoghue  5 , Lynn James-Jenkinson  6 , Dave Fidler  6 , Andrew Clegg  1   2   3
Affiliations

Preventing falls at home among people with intellectual disabilities: A scoping review

Alison J Doherty et al. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2023 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Falls are common among people with intellectual disabilities. Many falls happen within the home. Our scoping review aimed to identify evidence for falls-risk factors and falls-prevention interventions for this population.

Method: We conducted a multi-database search to identify any type of published study that explored falls-risk factors or falls-prevention interventions for people with intellectual disabilities. Following a process of (i) title & abstract and (ii) full-text screening, data was extracted from the included studies and described narratively.

Results: Forty-one studies were included. Risks are multifactorial. There was limited evidence of medical, behavioural/psychological, or environmental interventions to address modifiable risk factors, and no evidence of the interventions' cost-effectiveness.

Conclusions: Clinically and cost effective, acceptable and accessible falls-prevention pathways should be available for people with intellectual disabilities who are at risk of falls from an earlier age than the general population.

Keywords: falls; intellectual disabilities; learning disabilities; prevention.

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References

REFERENCES
    1. Axmon, A., Ahlstrom, G., & Sandberg, M. (2019). Falls resulting in health care among older people with intellectual disability in comparison with the general population. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 63(3), 193-204. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.12564
    1. Brenner, R. A., Taneia, G. S., Schroeder, T. J., Trumble, A. C., Moyer, P. M., & Buck Louis, G. M. (2014). Unintentional injuries among youth with developmental disabilities in the United States, 2006-2007. International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 20(3), 259-265. https://doi.org/10.1080/17457300.2012.696662
    1. Choi, N. G., Choi, B. Y., DiNitto, D. M., Marti, C. N., & Kunik, M. E. (2019). Fall-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations among community-dwelling older adults: Examination of health problems and injury characteristics. BMC Geriatrics, 19(1), 303. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-019-1329-2
    1. Choi, P., Wei, T., Motl, R. W., & Agiovlasitis, S. (2020). Risk factors associated with history of falls in adults with intellectual disability. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 106, 103748. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103748
    1. Cortes-Amador, S., Carrasco, J. J., Sempere-Rubio, N., Igual-Camacho, C., Villaplana-Torres, L. A., & Perez-Alenda, S. (2019). Effects of a vestibular physiotherapy protocol on adults with intellectual disability in the prevention of falls: A multi-Centre clinical trial. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 32(2), 359-367. doi:10.1111/jar.12531
REFERENCES FOR INCLUDED STUDIES
    1. Axmon, A., Ahlstrom, G., & Sandberg, M. (2019). Falls resulting in health care among older people with intellectual disability in comparison with the general population. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 63(3), 193-204. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.12564
    1. Axmon, A., Sandberg, M., Ahlstrom, G., & Midlov, P. (2018). Fall-risk-increasing drugs and falls requiring health care among older people with intellectual disability in comparison with the general population: A register study. PLoS One, 13(6), e0199218. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0199218
    1. Bahiraei, S., Daneshmandi, H., Norasteh, A. A., & Yahya, S. (2019). Balance stability in intellectual disability: Introductory evidence for the balance evaluation systems test (BESTest). Life Span and Disability, 22(1), 7-28.
    1. Bruckner, J., & Herge, E. A. (2003). Assessing the risk of falls in elders with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation., 19(3), 206-211. https://doi.org/10.1097/00013614-200307000-00007
    1. Cahill, S., Stancliffe, R. J., Clemson, L., & Durvasula, S. (2014). Reconstructing the fall: Individual, behavioural and contextual factors associated with falls in individuals with intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 58(4), 321-332. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.12015

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