Development of the Home Fall Hazard Checklist. (1st June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ziebart, Christina; Dewan, Neha; Tuazon, Joshua; MacDermid, Joy
• Other Names: Giallauria Francesco Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Rehabilitation research and practice. Volume 2021(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-06-01
• Subjects: Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Physical therapy -- Periodicals; Rehabilitation; Rehabilitation, Vocational; Physical therapy; Rehabilitation; Periodicals; 617.103
• DOI: 10.1155/2021/5362197
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-2867

Abstract

Abstract : Objective . Home hazard assessment is particularly important following a fracture as a means of preventing subsequent fractures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate current checklists and evidence on home hazard to develop a usable self-administered checklist that could be used by adults to assess home hazards. Design . Review and observational, prospective study. Setting . Community dwelling. Participants . Nine adults (4 men, 5 women) were asked to review the checklist and provide feedback on whether items were relevant, comprehensive, and easy to understand. Intervention . A search for literature examining the causes of falls that focused on home hazards or behaviours was conducted, and causes were extracted. Using the combined list of home hazards, a draft checklist was created. The participants were asked to pilot the checklist through their home. Primary and Secondary Outcome . An initial iteration of the checklist was modified to reduce redundancy (by grouping certain items together), improve usability (by adding a "not applicable category"), and improve readability (by removing double-barrelled questions or rewriting certain items). Results . This process resulted in 74 items in 10 areas. On average, it took 10 minutes for the participants to complete the home walk-through while filling out the checklist. Conclusion . The fall hazard-home checklist is a new checklist designed to identify home fall hazards with the intended use of being either administered by self-report through memory or supported by a walk-about, and that could potentially be completed by a patient who has incurred a fall, fracture, a family member, or caregiver. Given the expense of home hazard assessments that involve a home visit, the validity of this method of detection warrants further investigation.