@article{ref1,
title="A simple instrument to assess the risk of falling in postpartum women: the SLOPE scale (riSk of faLling in pOstPartum womEn)",
journal="Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology",
year="2021",
author="Gregori, Dario and Comoretto, Rosanna Irene and Masè, Caterina and Piras, Gianluca Niccolò and Postai, Daniela and Soriani, Nicola and Beltrame Vriz, Giulia",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="The purpose of this study was to introduce a novel instrument aimed at stratifying the risk of falling in postpartum patients. The research was a survey of a sample of  460 midwives working at different hospitals, mainly in Northern Italy, except for a  hospital in Rome (Italy). The survey, consisting of 70 items, was conducted among  midwives and asked them to express their opinion regarding the increased risk of  falling in puerperal women on a Likert scale according to the characteristics listed  in the questionnaire. Items were derived from the synthesis of scales available in  the literature from settings other than the postpartum period, and interviews were  conducted with midwives with great experience in this area. A shortened version was  obtained using principal component analysis. A 30-item final scale was obtained, the  SLOPE (riSk of faLling in pOst-Partum womEn), ranging from 0 to 100. The scale  allows stratification of postpartum women at low (0-10), intermediate (10-20) and  high risk (>20) of falling. The development of the SLOPE scale is the first step  towards more rational evidence-based management of the risk of falling in postpartum  women in current clinical practice. Impact statement What is already known on this  subject? Falls occurring in the postnatal period are not limited to women because  infants are often involved in this adverse event, with several significant  consequences. There is a lack of information on this issue due to the absence of  both registries and scales for the prevention of falls. What do the results of this  study add? The main result of this study is the development of a novel scale to  assess the falling risk in postpartum women. What are the implications of these  findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The development of this  novel scale, even if based on midwives' experience and not on patients' data, is a  first step towards a more rational evidence-based management of the risk of falling  in postpartum women.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0144-3615",
doi="10.1080/01443615.2020.1833847",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01443615.2020.1833847"
}