Article type
Abstract
Background: Hospital falls persist as a significant concern worldwide, despite numerous prevention efforts. This issue is particularly pressing among older inpatients across various healthcare settings.
Objectives: The study aims to systematically review and meta-analyze the effectiveness of internal fall prevention programs for older patients in hospital settings.
Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted on publications from January 1, 2000, to April 21, 2023. Key databases such as Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Academic Search, and Scopus were utilized, focusing on Randomized Controlled Trials related to hospital falls and prevention strategies.
Results: A review of 2122 articles led to the inclusion of 26 studies with 137,315 older individuals. The prevalence and incidence rates of falls were 9.1% and 7.5 per 1000 bed-days, respectively. Key effective interventions included educational programs, vitamin D supplementation, and combined fall prevention measures. A notable finding was the higher fall rates in the Western Pacific region and the significant impact of interventions in studies with smaller sample sizes (≤500).
Conclusions: The research underscores the effectiveness of educational and comprehensive fall prevention strategies over singular approaches in reducing inpatient falls. These insights are crucial for developing clinical practices and fall prevention protocols globally. Future studies should explore artificial intelligence tools for early detection and prevention of high-risk falls in elderly hospitalized patients.
Objectives: The study aims to systematically review and meta-analyze the effectiveness of internal fall prevention programs for older patients in hospital settings.
Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted on publications from January 1, 2000, to April 21, 2023. Key databases such as Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Academic Search, and Scopus were utilized, focusing on Randomized Controlled Trials related to hospital falls and prevention strategies.
Results: A review of 2122 articles led to the inclusion of 26 studies with 137,315 older individuals. The prevalence and incidence rates of falls were 9.1% and 7.5 per 1000 bed-days, respectively. Key effective interventions included educational programs, vitamin D supplementation, and combined fall prevention measures. A notable finding was the higher fall rates in the Western Pacific region and the significant impact of interventions in studies with smaller sample sizes (≤500).
Conclusions: The research underscores the effectiveness of educational and comprehensive fall prevention strategies over singular approaches in reducing inpatient falls. These insights are crucial for developing clinical practices and fall prevention protocols globally. Future studies should explore artificial intelligence tools for early detection and prevention of high-risk falls in elderly hospitalized patients.