Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24245830›Full record

ArticleBMC geriatrics2013

Characteristics of outdoor falls among older people: a qualitative study.

Samuel R Nyman, Claire Ballinger, Judith E Phillips, Rita Newton

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC geriatrics, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
26citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

26 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Walking speed and distance requirements for functional community ambulation in Singapore.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liao · 2025
    Article
  3. A participatory virtual audit of the built environment for age-friendliness.International journal of health geographics · 2025
    Observational
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  16. Review
  17. The role of the environment in falls among stroke survivors.Archives of gerontology and geriatrics · 2017
    Article
  18. Article
  19. Neighborhood Environment and Falls among Community-Dwelling Older Adults.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2017
    Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Samuel R NymanBournemouth University Dementia Institute and Psychology Research Centre, School of Design, Engineering & Computing, Bournemouth University, Poole House, Talbot Campus, Poole, Dorset BH12 5BB, UK. snyman@bournemouth.ac.uk.
Claire Ballinger
Judith E Phillips
Rita Newton

Funding

Medical Research Council G1001872Medical Research Council G1002782/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFalls are a major threat to older people's health and wellbeing. Approximately half of falls occur in outdoor environments but little is known about the circumstances in which they occur. We conducted a qualitative study to explore older people's experiences of outdoor falls to develop understanding of how they may be prevented.

methodsWe conducted nine focus groups across the UK (England, Wales, and Scotland). Our sample was from urban and rural settings and different environmental landscapes. Participants were aged 65+ and had at least one outdoor fall in the past year. We analysed the data using framework and content analyses.

resultsForty-four adults aged 65 - 92 took part and reported their experience of 88 outdoor falls. Outdoor falls occurred in a variety of contexts, though reports suggested the following scenarios may have been more frequent: when crossing a road, in a familiar area, when bystanders were around, and with an unreported or unknown attribution. Most frequently, falls resulted in either minor or moderate injury, feeling embarrassed at the time of the fall, and anxiety about falling again. Ten falls resulted in fracture, but no strong pattern emerged in regard to the contexts of these falls. Anxiety about falling again appeared more prevalent among those that fell in urban settings and who made more visits into their neighbourhood in a typical week.

conclusionsThis exploratory study has highlighted several aspects of the outdoor environment that may represent risk factors for outdoor falls and associated fear of falling. Health professionals are recommended to consider outdoor environments as well as the home setting when working to prevent falls and increase mobility among older people.

Indexed as

EnvironmentQualitative ResearchSocial EnvironmentAccidental FallsAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleFocus GroupsHumansMaleUnited Kingdom

Identifiers

PMID24245830
PMCPMC3835551

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.