An Exploratory Survey of Older Women's Post-Fall Decisions. (September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bergeron, Caroline D.; Friedman, Daniela B.; Spencer, S. Melinda; Miller, Susan C.; Hilfinger Messias, DeAnne K.; McKeever, Robert
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied gerontology. Volume 37:Number 9(2018)
• Page Start: 1107
• Page End: 1132
• Publication Date: 2018-09
• Subjects: falls -- older women -- survey -- decision making -- decisional conflict -- health literacy; Gerontology -- Periodicals; 362.6
• DOI: 10.1177/0733464816653361
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0733-4648

Abstract

This research examined factors influencing older women's post-fall decision making. We surveyed 130 independent older women from continuing care retirement communities and non-institutional homes. We categorized women's post-fall decisions as medical, corrective, and social decisions, and examined the associations between post-fall decision categories, decisional conflict, number of post-fall changes, self-rated health, frequency of falls, severity of falls, health literacy, awareness and openness to long-term care institutional options, and demographics. Older women experienced greater decisional conflict when making medical decisions versus social ( p = .012) and corrective ( p = .047) decisions. Significant predictors of post-fall decisional conflict were awareness of institutional care options ( p = .001) and health literacy ( p = .001). Future educational interventions should address knowledge deficits and provide resources to enhance collaborative efforts to lower women's post-fall decisional conflict and increase satisfaction in the decisions they make after a fall.