Falls among full-time wheelchair users with spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis: a comparison of characteristics of fallers and circumstances of falls

Sung, Jong Hun; Trace, Yarden; Peterson, Elizabeth; Sosnoff, Jacob J.; Rice, Laura A.

doi:10.1080/09638288.2017.1393111

Cited by 47 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 25 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…When developing fall prevention interventions, attention should move beyond single factor solutions to account for the multifactorial nature of falls. Findings from a prior study support this approach to fall prevention as the authors found 70% of falls were caused by more than one fall attribution 1. In clinical practice, healthcare practitioners should consider whether individuals with SCI who are primarily wheelchair users also ambulate short distances, as wheelchair users can experience falls during standing/walking 1 8.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Wheelchair users commonly experience falls during transfers, reaching, propelling on an uneven surface, moving in bed and showering 1 2 5 6. Depending on the level and severity of their SCI, some individuals primarily use a wheelchair for mobility but can also walk short distances 7.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Depending on the level and severity of their SCI, some individuals primarily use a wheelchair for mobility but can also walk short distances 7. As such, some wheelchair users may experience falls while standing and walking 1 8. The majority of prior studies examining falls among wheelchair users with SCI used quantitative surveys to gather information on falls, which limits the breadth of information collected 4.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There remains a need to gain a more detailed understanding of the nature of falls in regard to this particular population 2 4. Few studies have used qualitative or mixed methods to explore the perspectives of wheelchair users with SCI concerning the causes and the impacts of falls 1 3 9. An in-depth exploration from the perspectives of wheelchair users can provide insight into priorities and potential strategies for fall prevention 3 4…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Factors that influence the risk of falling after spinal cord injury: a qualitative photo-elicitation study with individuals that use a wheelchair as their primary means of mobility

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

IntroductionFalls are a concern for wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI). Falls can negatively impact the physical and psychological well-being of fallers. To date, the perspectives of wheelchair users with lived experiences of SCI on the contributors to falls has been understudied. Information about factors that influence fall risk would guide the development of effective fall prevention strategies.ObjectivesTo gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors that influenced the risk of falling as perceived by wheelchair users with SCI.DesignA qualitative study using photo-elicitation interviews.SettingA Canadian SCI rehabilitation hospital and the participants’ home/community environments.ParticipantsTwelve wheelchair users living in the community with chronic SCI.MethodsParticipants captured photographs of situations, places or things that they perceived increased and decreased their risk of falling. Semistructured photo-elicitation interviews were conducted to discuss the content of the photographs and explore perceptions of fall risk factors. A hybrid thematic analysis and the Biological, Behavioural, Social, Economic, and Environmental model were used as a framework to organise/synthesise the data.ResultsOverall, the findings indicated that the risk of falling was individualised, complex and dynamic to each person’s life situation. Four main themes were revealed in our analysis: (1) Falls and fall risk caused by multiple interacting factors; (2) Dynamic nature of fall risk; (3) Single factors were targeted to reduce falls and fall-related injuries; and (4) Fall prevention experiences and priorities.ConclusionsEach wheelchair user encountered numerous fall risk factors in their everyday lives. Information from this study can be used to set priorities for fall prevention. Fall prevention initiatives should consider a wheelchair user’s fall risks in a holistic manner, acknowledging that a person’s current situation, as well as anticipating their fall risks and fall prevention needs, will change over time.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Factors that influence the risk of falling after spinal cord injury: a qualitative photo-elicitation study with individuals that use a wheelchair as their primary means of mobility

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…6,29,59 It is likely that the circumstances associated with falls differ amongst those who are ambulant or wheelchair users with one study suggesting that most falls occur during transfers for wheelchair users. 60 An additional method to uncover risk factors of falls in MS can be achieved by asking the individual what they attribute their falls to. According to Matsuda et al, 29 , pwMS attribute their falls to trips/slips, fatigue, failing to use an assistive device when needed, rushing and not paying attention.…”

Section: O N L I N E F I R S Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

Falls in People with Multiple Sclerosis

Coote¹,

Comber²,

Quinn³

et al. 2020

International Journal of MS Care

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Falls are highly prevalent for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and result in a range of negative consequences such as injury, activity curtailment, reduced quality of life, increased need for care and time off work. This narrative review aims to summarise key literature and to discuss future work needed in the area of falls prevention for people with MS. The incidence of falls is estimated to be over 50%; similar to the rate of falls in adults over 80 years. The consequences of falls are considerable as rate of injury is high, and fear of falling and low self-efficacy are significant problems that lead to activity curtailment. A wide range of physiological, personal and environmental factors have been highlighted as potential risk factors and predictors of falls. Falls are individual and multifactorial, and hence approaches to interventions will likely need to adopt a multi-factorial approach. However, the literature to date has largely focused on exercise-based interventions, with newer more comprehensive interventions using both education and exercise showing promising results. Several gaps remain in the topic of falls in MS and in particular the lack of standardisation of definitions and outcome measures to enable data pooling and comparison. In future, the involvement of people with MS in the design and evaluation of programmes is essential, as are approaches to intervention development that consider implementation from the outset.

show abstract