@article{ref1,
title="Hip protector compliance: a 13-month study on factors and cost in a long-term care facility",
journal="Journal of the American Medical Directors Association",
year="2003",
author="Burl, Jeffrey B. and Centola, James and Bonner, Alice and Burque, Colleen",
volume="4",
number="5",
pages="245-250",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To determine if a high compliance rate  for wearing external hip protectors could be achieved and sustained in a  long-term care population. STUDY DESIGN: A 13-month prospective study of daytime  use of external hip protectors in an at-risk long-term care population. SETTING:  One hundred-bed not-for-profit long-term care facility. PARTICIPANTS:  Thirty-eight ambulatory residents having at least 1 of 4 risk factors  (osteoporosis, recent fall, positive fall screen, previous fracture).  INTERVENTION: The rehabilitation department coordinated an implementation  program. Members of the rehabilitation team met with eligible participants,  primary caregivers, families, and other support staff for educational  instruction and a description of the program. The rehabilitation team assumed  overall responsibility for measuring and ordering hip protectors and monitoring  compliance. RESULTS: By the end of the third month, hip protector compliance  averaged greater than 90% daily wear. The average number of falls per month in  the hip protector group was 3.9 versus 1.3 in nonparticipants. Estimated total  indirect staff time was 7.75 hours. The total cost of the study (hip protectors  and indirect staff time) was 6,300 US dollars. CONCLUSIONS: High hip protector  compliance is both feasible and sustainable in an at-risk long-term care  population. Achieving high compliance requires an interdisciplinary approach  with one department acting as a champion. The cost of protectors could be a  barrier to widespread use. Facilities might be unable to cover the cost until  the product is paid for by third-party payers.",
language="",
issn="1525-8610",
doi="10.1097/01.JAM.0000083382.28795.9B",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.JAM.0000083382.28795.9B"
}