scholarly journals Recording of Falls in Elderly Fallers in Northern Greece and Evaluation of Aging Health-Related Factors and Environmental Safety Associated with Falls: A Cross-Sectional Study

2022 ◽  
Vol 2022 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Lytras ◽  
Evaggelos Sykaras ◽  
Paris Iakovidis ◽  
Konstantinos Kasimis ◽  
Ioannis Myrogiannis ◽  
...  

Background. Elderly falls constitute a global problem with huge social and economic aspects. Fall risk factors are both intrinsic (physical and psychological) and extrinsic (related with environmental safety). Aim. To record both intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors and their correlation in elderly fallers in order to suggest specific guidelines for their medical care and environmental modification inside and outside the home. Method. The study involved 150 elderly fallers (median age 70 (67-74)), who completed a record containing information on known risk factors related to their health status, as well as information on the conditions and causes that led to the fall. Each fall was considered an independent event, while measurements were performed regarding balance, strength, their functional ability, and the fear of a possible fall. Descriptive analysis and frequency analysis were used to record the health and activity status of the participants as well as the fall-related environmental factors. Severity of each fall event across a variety of locations was examined using the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance. Multiple linear regression was applied to examine the effect of the mean values of functional tests and medical records on the number of fall events. Results. In the span of 12 months, a total of 304 fall events were recorded. Regarding location, 77.6% occurred indoors; more frequent were the bedroom (28.6%) and the bathroom (28%). The interior stairs (10.5%), the kitchen (4.9%), and the living room (3.3%) were the less frequent locations. Concerning danger, falling on the interior stairs caused the longest hospitalization, followed by the kitchen and the bathroom. Extrinsic factors that led to both indoor and outdoor falls were the administration of psychotropic medication, poor space ergonomics, lack of basic safety standards, and poor lighting conditions. Vision problems and dizziness resulted in more falls than other intrinsic factors. Furthermore, reduced performance in the FICSIT-4 test and the 30-Second Chair Stand Test, as well as high scores in the CONFbal–GREEK questionnaire and the Short FES-I, shows a linear relationship with an increased number of falls. Conclusions. Ergonomic interventions can help prevent indoor elderly falls. Poor construction and lack of adequate lighting mainly cause outdoor falls. Regular eye examinations, management of vertigo, improvement of the balance and strength of the lower limbs, and reduction of fear of impending falls are the intrinsic factors that help prevent falls the most.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongyan Wang ◽  
Xiaoling Dai ◽  
Zichuan Yao ◽  
Xianqing Zhu ◽  
Yunzhong Jiang ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction To explore the prevalence of depressive symptoms and the associated risk factors in frontline nurses under COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted from February 20, 2020 to March 20, 2020 and involved 562 frontline nurses. The effective response rate was 87.68%. After propensity score matched, there were 498 participants left. Extensive characteristics, including demographics, dietary habits, life-related factors, work-related factors, and psychological factors were collected based on a self-reported questionnaire. Specific scales measured the levels of sleep quality, physical activity, depressive symptoms, perceived organization support and psychological capital. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were determined by binary paired logistic regression. Results Of the nurses enrolled in the study, 50.90% had depressive symptoms. Three independent risk factors were identified: poor sleep quality (OR = 1.608, 95% CI: 1.384–1.896), lower optimism of psychological capital (OR = 0.879, 95% CI: 0.805–0.960) and no visiting friend constantly (OR = 0.513, 95% CI: 0.286–0.920). Conclusions This study revealed a considerable high prevalence of depressive symptoms in frontline nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak, and identified three risk factors, which were poor sleep quality, lower optimism of psychological capital, and no visiting friend constantly. Protecting mental health of nurses is important for COVID-19 pandemic control and their wellbeing. These findings enrich the existing theoretical model of depression and demonstrated a critical need for additional strategies that could address the mental health in frontline nurses for policymakers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (8) ◽  
pp. 030006052110346
Author(s):  
Techane Sisay Tuji ◽  
Addisu Dabi Wake ◽  
Gezahegn Badeg Adere ◽  
Aselefu Beka Wedajo ◽  
Batu Dekeba Obole ◽  
...  

Objective To assess the prevalence of spontaneous preterm births and to identify the associated risk factors. Methods This single-centre cross-sectional study enrolled women that experienced a preterm birth as registered on the neonatal log-book between 30 December 2019 and 30 December 2020. A pre-tested structured checklist was used to collect data (sociodemographic characteristics; obstetric-related factors; medical history; and pregnancy-related factors). Bivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to identify factors associated with spontaneous preterm birth. A multivariate model identified significant independent risk factors. Results A total of 310 patients participated in the study. The prevalence of spontaneous preterm birth in this population was 67.1% (208 of 310; 95% confidence interval [CI] 61.5, 71.9). Patients without a partner (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.470, 95% CI 1.23, 4.42), patients residing in a rural area (AOR = 2.51, 95% CI 1.123, 5.513) and those with a history of PIH during their current pregnancy (AOR = 0.104, 95% CI 0.053, 0.014) were significantly more likely to have a spontaneous preterm birth. Conclusion The prevalence of spontaneous preterm birth in in this study was high. Healthcare providers and all stakeholders should focus on screening pregnant women at the risk of spontaneous preterm birth.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 205873922096054
Author(s):  
Faiz Ullah Khan ◽  
Yu Fang ◽  
Zakir Khan ◽  
Farman Ullah Khan ◽  
Zafar Iqbal Malik ◽  
...  

Globally, surgical site infections are one of the common infections which lead to a large amount of mortality and morbidity in postsurgical care. The risk for surgical site infection is multidimensional which includes mainly; patient, surgery, and hospital-related factors. This study is aimed to determine the burden of SSIs along with contributed risk factors. A prospective observational cross-sectional study was conducted in one of the largest public-sector hospitals in Pakistan. A total of 412 patients were recruited in the study with full consent and monitored for 30 days after surgery with direct and indirect surveillance. Overall, in seven different surgical procedures the incidence (29.8%) rate of SSI was observed; in appendectomy ( n = 17, 4.1%), exploratory laparotomy ( n = 51, 12.6%), laparoscopic cholecystectomy ( n = 12, 2.90%), mesh repair ( n = 17, 4.01%), thyroidectomy (5, 1.2%), transurethral resection of the prostate ( n = 11, 2.6%), and transurethral resection of the bladder (10, 2.4%). The average SSI rate in every single procedure was about 18 (4.27%) per surgical procedure out of 123 (29.85%) SSI cases. Types of SSI identified were superficial, deep incisional and organ/space ( n = 76, 18.4%, n = 23, 5.5%, and n = 24, 5.7%). Incidence of SSIs during admission, at readmission, and post-surveillance cases were ( n = 50, 12.1%, n = 25, 6.0% and n = 48, 11.6%). Associated risk factors found contributed to the incidence of SSI ( p < 0.05). Pre-operative ( n = 348, 84.5%) and 6 (1.5%) surgical patients did not received the post-operative antibiotics. The P. aeruginosa ( n = 15, 12.1%) and S. aureus (13, 10.5%). Cefoperazone and sulbactam were the most prescribed antibiotics. Associated risk factors and treatment outcomes of surgical patients have a direct association with the incidence of SSI. Hospital-based antimicrobial stewardship, implementation of surgical guidelines, patient care, and education are needed to develop at wards level in hospitals.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thanaphum Laithaisong ◽  
Wichai Aekplakorn ◽  
Paibul Suriyawongpaisal ◽  
Chanunporn Tupthai ◽  
Chathaya Wongrathanandha

PurposeThis research aimed to explore the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and related factors among subcontracted cleaners in a teaching hospital in Thailand.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study was conducted of 393 subcontracted cleaners in a teaching hospital, from May to June 2020. Face-to-face interviews were carried out using a standard questionnaire, consisting of four parts: (1) participant characteristics, (2) stress test, (3) work characteristics and (4) standardized Nordic questionnaire, Thai version, for MSDs outcome. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the association between MSDs and related factors.FindingsThe prevalence of MSDs was 81.9%, involving mostly the lower back (57.7%), followed by the shoulder (52.6%). Factors significantly associated with MSDs were as follows: male gender (OR = 3.06, 95% CI [1.19, 7.87]), severe stress (OR = 2.72, 95% CI [1.13, 6.54]), history of injuries (OR = 4.37, 95% CI [1.27, 15.11]), mopping posture (OR = 2.81, 95% CI [1.43, 5.50]) and task duration (OR = 1.90, 95% CI [1.01, 3.57] for 2–4 h and OR = 3.39, 95% CI [1.17, 9.86] for more than 4 h). Sick leave due to MSDs was associated with history of injuries, Thai nationality and having another part-time job.Originality/valueThe study findings about MSDs in terms of prevalence and related factors contributed to limited pool of the knowledge among subcontracted hospital cleaners in Thailand and middle-income country settings. With growing popularity in outsourcing cleaning services among hospitals in these countries, the study findings could raise a concern and inform policymakers and hospital administrators the importance of the magnitude and risk factors for MSDs necessitating design of preventive strategies.


Author(s):  
Tânia Patrícia Cabo Relíquias ◽  
Carmen Dolores Roque Agostinho ◽  
Maria do Céu Marques

The objective of this chapter is to identify the risk factors and preponderant causes of falls in the hospital elderly inpatients. A survey on the search engines B-on, EBSCO, and Pubmed, followed by an analysis of the title and abstract is done. Afterwards, the authors analyze all the articles with full text available in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. The most common risk factor for falls in the analyzed articles was being aged above 65 years old. More than half of the articles also mentioned intrinsic factors such as mental disorder, mobility disorder, and use of medication. As for extrinsic factors associated with risk of falls, most of the articles mentioned the characteristics of bed/chair and the obstacles associated with the physical/environmental infrastructures. The prevention strategies for this phenomenon must consider each country and care unit specifically as well as the specific characteristics of its patients, aiming to promote the care quality.


2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 911-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Gottschalk ◽  
Hans-Helmut König ◽  
Christian Brettschneider

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to compare informal caregivers/dementia caregivers to non-caregivers regarding alcohol consumption, smoking behavior, obesity, and insufficient physical activity and to identify caregiving-related factors (caregiving intensity, length of caregiving, relationship to the care recipient, and type of caregiving task) which are associated with behavioral risk factors in caregivers/dementia caregivers. Methods Using cross-sectional data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we performed the statistical analyses applying logistic regression models and accounted for confounding using the entropy balancing approach. Results For caregivers (n = 12,044), the odds of overweight/obesity and smoking were higher (OR = 1.14/1.34, p < 0.05) and the odds of binge drinking and insufficient physical activity were lower (OR = 0.86/0.83, p < 0.05) than for non-caregivers (n = 45,925). For dementia caregivers, results point in the same direction. Caregiving-related variables tend to influence the likelihood of behavioral risk factors, but depending on the kind of factor considered, in different directions. Conclusions Being a caregiver is associated with risky and health-promoting behavior. However, the effects are relatively low. Future studies should study potential pathways between caregiving characteristics, psychological impacts of caregiving, health behavior, and mental or physical health.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 364-372
Author(s):  
Abdorrahim Afkhamzadeh ◽  
Namam-Ali Azadi ◽  
Shirin Ziaeei ◽  
Amjad Mohamadi-Bolbanabad

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the prevalence of domestic violence against women and its related factors in Sanandaj, west of Iran. Design/methodology/approach This is a cross-sectional study conducted in 2016. The sample consisted of 360 women who referred to two educational hospitals in Sanandaj. The data collection tool was a self-report questionnaire. A multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the risk factors of domestic violence against women. Findings The prevalence of “any form of violence” in the past year was 71 percent (n=245). The prevalence of emotional, sexual and physical violence was 62.2 percent (n=225), 48.7 percent (n=168) and 49.9 percent (n=172), respectively. Multivariate logistic regressions revealed that the “any form of violence” has significant association with occupation of women, economic status of family and the status of sexual satisfaction of couples. Originality/value The prevalence of domestic violence against women is high and alarming in Sanandaj, Iran. Given the relationship between experience of violence and sexual dissatisfaction, sexual education before and after marriage is recommended for couples. Also, the experience of exposure to violence in women can be included in health centers as screening programs. In this way, couples who have risk factors will receive the educational programs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioannis Tsakiridis ◽  
Apostolos Mamopoulos ◽  
Georgios Papazisis ◽  
Stamatios Petousis ◽  
Athanasia Liozidou ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (9) ◽  
pp. 108-121
Author(s):  
MuaadhAbdulghaniGhaithan Al-samawi ◽  
Higazi Mohammed Ahmed Abdallah Awad

Globally, Low Back Pain (LBP) comprises a significant occupational hazard in nursing profession. Objectives: To estimate the incidence, to identify risk factors, and impact of illness of LBP among nurses in AL-MakNimer university Hospital at Shendi city. A cross-sectional study was applied including nurses in AL-MakNimer university Hospital at Shendi city, republic of Sudan throughout the period May -June, 2015. Sample was chosen by using total coverage sample. A predesigned questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire included demographic data, work-related factors as well as effect and management of LBP data obtained were analyzed using manually and by used SPSS soft program. Results: The results revealed that the overall incidence of low back pain among nurses was (n=70, 87.5%) Female participants complaining of LBP were significantly more than male participants (85%) of the total female reported LBP. There were significantly relate between age and working hours (.015) it can be seen that about (40%) of the participants experienced LBP at least once a week or more frequently. 52.9% subjects rated their pain as moderate pain. 35.7% nurses' concept regarding factors contributing to their LBP were lifting as well as 28.6% working load,(52.9%) sleep disturbance, (64.3%) restrict activities were nurse comment regarding LBP effect. LBP is a common health problem among working nurse, lifting, work load, were the most perceived work-related risk factors for LBP, restrict activities, taking many days off, might be the most predisposed effect related to LBP. Recommendation: These findings suggest that hospitals should focus and attempt to improve the ergonomics of nursing activities. In addition, effective methods of implementing changes in work systems are needed.


Author(s):  
Yeon-Jung Lee ◽  
Jin-Young Lee ◽  
Minjae Kim

Adolescent suicide is a serious global health concern. Although familial transmission of suicidal behaviors has been identified in previous research, the effects of parental gender remain unknown. This study identified the influence of parental suicidal behaviors on suicide attempts among adolescent girls. We collected data through a cross-sectional, nationwide, population-based survey in South Korea and evaluated data from 890 adolescent girls (aged 12–18 years) who had attempted suicide and their parents. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors related to suicide attempts among adolescent girls. The final model indicated that mothers’ suicidal plans and attempts (OR = 6.39, OR = 12.38, respectively) were important risk factors for suicide attempts in adolescent girls. Future studies should identify specific methods for effective prevention and treatment through path analysis of the related factors affecting suicidal behavior of adolescents according to their parents’ gender.


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