Article

OBJECTIVE: To characterize self-awareness in older adults undergoing inpatient
rehabilitation and explore factors associated with reduced awareness of falls
risk. DESIGN: Prospective, cross-sectional design.
SETTING: Older adult inpatient
rehabilitation setting. PARTICIPANTS: Rehabilitation inpatients (N=91; mean age,
77.97+/-8.04y) and their treating physiotherapist. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN
OUTCOME MEASURES:
Three aspects of self-awareness (intellectual, emergent,
anticipatory) were measured using the Self-Awareness of Falls Risk Measure.
Demographic, medical, and cognitive (Mini-Mental State Examination) information
were collected. Current ability was measured using the FIM and timed Up and Go
test. RESULTS: Of the patients in the sample, 31% to 63% underestimated falls
risk and 3% to 10% overestimated falls risk depending on the aspect of awareness
measured. Different aspects of reduced self-awareness were correlated with being
a man, higher educational attainment, neurologic history, lower cognitive
ability, and lower functional ability. Regression analysis indicated that sex
(beta=-.33, P=.004), education (beta=-.30, P=.006), and neurologic history
(beta=-.22, P=.038) were independently associated with overall self-awareness.
CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that a proportion of older adults undergoing
inpatient rehabilitation underestimate personal falls risk. Further research is
required to investigate the contributors to and effects of reduced self-awareness
of falls risk. Greater understanding of these factors will facilitate the
development of strategies to increase awareness of falls risk and increase
engagement in falls prevention.
CI - Copyright (c) 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS