Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35524748›Full record

SynthesisAge and ageing2022

Interventions to reduce falls in hospitals: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Meg E Morris, Kate Webster, Cathy Jones, Anne-Marie Hill, Terry Haines, Steven McPhail, Debra Kiegaldie, Susan Slade, Dana Jazayeri, Hazel Heng and 4 more

Open access · hybridAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Age and ageing, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 121 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
121citing papers in PubMed, 10 pooled it
96.4field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
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

121 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 238 citations in OpenAlex.

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61 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

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

14 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Meg E MorrisLa Trobe University Academic and Research Collaborative in Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Kate WebsterSchool of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
Cathy JonesLa Trobe University Academic and Research Collaborative in Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Anne-Marie HillWestern Australian Centre for Health & Ageing, School of Allied Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Terry HainesSchool of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Steven McPhailAustralian Centre for Health Services Innovation and Centre for Healthcare Transformation, School of Public Health & Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Australia.
Debra KiegaldieHolmesglen Institute and Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Susan SladeLa Trobe University Academic and Research Collaborative in Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Dana JazayeriLa Trobe University Academic and Research Collaborative in Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Hazel HengLa Trobe University Academic and Research Collaborative in Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Ronald ShorrGeriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Malcom Randall VAMC, Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Leeanne CareySchool of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
Anna BarkerSchool of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Ian CameronJohn Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Northern Sydney Local Health District and The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
La Trobe University · AUMonash University · AUGeriatric Research Education and Clinical Center · USMetro South Health · AUNorthern Sydney Local Health District · AUThe University of Western Australia · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFalls remain a common and debilitating problem in hospitals worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of falls prevention interventions on falls rates and the risk of falling in hospital.

designSystematic review and meta-analysis.

participantsHospitalised adults.

interventionPrevention methods included staff and patient education, environmental modifications, assistive devices, policies and systems, rehabilitation, medication management and management of cognitive impairment. We evaluated single and multi-factorial approaches. OUTCOME MEASURES: Falls rate ratios (rate ratio: RaR) and falls risk, as defined by the odds of being a faller in the intervention compared to control group (odds ratio: OR).

resultsThere were 43 studies that satisfied the systematic review criteria and 23 were included in meta-analyses. There was marked heterogeneity in intervention methods and study designs. The only intervention that yielded a significant result in the meta-analysis was education, with a reduction in falls rates (RaR = 0.70 [0.51-0.96], P = 0.03) and the odds of falling (OR = 0.62 [0.47-0.83], P = 0.001). The patient and staff education studies in the meta-analysis were of high quality on the GRADE tool. Individual trials in the systematic review showed evidence for clinician education, some multi-factorial interventions, select rehabilitation therapies, and systems, with low to moderate risk of bias.

conclusionPatient and staff education can reduce hospital falls. Multi-factorial interventions had a tendency towards producing a positive impact. Chair alarms, bed alarms, wearable sensors and use of scored risk assessment tools were not associated with significant fall reductions.

Indexed as

Accidental FallsCognitive DysfunctionExerciseHospitalsHumansRisk Assessmenteducationexercisefallshospitalolder peoplephysiotherapypreventionsystematic review

Identifiers

PMID35524748
PMCPMC9078046
OpenAlexW4226231530

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.