Fallrisikovurdering i alderspensjonisters hjem: Implikasjoner for praksis?

Abstract

Bakgrunn: Fall og fallskader blant eldre er et stort folkehelseproblem. Hovedhensikten med studien var å se sammenhengen mellom fallrisikofeller i alderspensjonistenes hjem i relasjon til kjønn, alder, sivilstatus, intervjuernes kartlegging og informantenes egenvurde­ring av fallrisikofeller. Metode: Tverrsnittstudie med in­speksjon av fall-risikofeller i hjemmene til 254 eldre fra 70-85 år i 207 husholdninger. De ble også intervjuet om egenvurdert fallrisiko i hjemmet samt fallrisikofeller i nærmiljøet. Resultat: Gjennomsnittlige fallrisikofeller totalt i hjemmet er sig­nifikant høyest inne sammenlignet med ute. Badet hadde signifikant flest fallrisikofeller. Deretter har trapper og soverom signifikant flere fallrisikofeller enn kjøkken og stue. Elektriske installasjoner har signifikant flere fallrisikofel­ler enn gulvarealet. Aleneboende har signifikant flere fall­risikofeller knyttet til installasjoner enn gifte/samboende. For gifte/samboende er trappa mest risikofylt. Tredelt alders-inndeling viste at den yngre aldersgruppen har signifikant flest fallrisikofeller inne, mens de eldste hadde signifikant flest fallrisikofeller ute. Konklusjon: Resultatene viser at det er mange fallrisikofeller i eld­res hjem. Analysen synes å vise at vurdering av fallrisikofeller kan forenkles til å omfatte fallrisikosteder knyttet til badet, trappa, ute og egenrisikovurdering.
Background: Falls and injuries from falls amongst the elderly constitute a major health problem. The main purpose of the study was to examine the risk of falling at home amongst old-age pensioners in terms of gender differences, age, and marital status and to compare the interviewers’ assessment of the risk of falling at home to the assessment of the informants. Methods: A cross-section survey and home visits, inspection of the risk of falls amongst 254 elderly (51% women, 57% couples) aged 70–85 years in 207 households. Respondents were also interviewed about their own views about the risk of falls at home and in the immediate vicinity. Result: The average risk of falls at home, as a whole, is high and significantly highest indoors compared to outdoor. The bathroom was the venue of the significantly highest risk. In stairways and bedrooms the risk is significantly higher than in kitchens and living rooms. Installations involve a higher risk than floors.. People living alone tend to be significantly more at risk in connection with installations. As for couples, the highest risk is in stairways. Definition of three age groups indicated that the significantly highest risk for the youngest is indoors. For the oldest age group the significantly highest risk is outdoors. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that there are many sources of risk of falls for the elderly in their homes. The analysis can be used as a point of departure to develop a simpler tool with which to assess the risk of falls for old-age pensioners at home as part of a multi-factor approach. Key words: Elderly, fall, risk, traps, home, intrinsic factors, extrinsic factors, environment.