Citation

Nunan S, Brown Wilson C, Henwood T, Parker D. Australas. J. Ageing 2018; 37(1): 23-33.

Affiliation

Centre for Applied Nursing Research and the Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Australian Council on the Ageing, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/ajag.12476

PMID

29168303

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review of published fall risk assessment tools (FRATs) tested for predictive validity among older adults in long-term care (LTC).

METHODS: A systematic search was conducted using five databases. Only studies reporting on sensitivity and specificity values, conducted in LTC on populations primarily aged over 60 years, were considered.

RESULTS: Fifteen papers were included and three different categories of FRATs emerged: multifactorial assessment tools, functional mobility assessments and algorithms. Several FRATs showed moderate-to-good predictive validity and reliability, with the Modified Fall Assessment Tool and the Peninsula Health Falls Risk Assessment Tool (PHFRAT) also demonstrating good feasibility.

CONCLUSION: Evidence for the best choice of FRAT for use in LTC remains limited. Further research is warranted for the PHFRAT, recommended for use in LTC by best practice guidelines, before its establishment as the tool of choice for these clinical settings.

© 2017 AJA Inc.

Language: en

Keywords

falls; frail elderly; long-term care; risk assessment; sensitivity and specificity