TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2017//
TI  - High incidence of falls and fall-related injuries in wheelchair users with spinal cord injury: a prospective study of risk indicators
JO  - Journal of rehabilitation medicine
A1  - Forslund, Emelie Butler
A1  - Jørgensen, Vivien
A1  - Franzén, Erika
A1  - Opheim, Arve
A1  - Seiger, Åke
A1  - Ståhle, Agneta
A1  - Hultling, Claes
A1  - Stanghelle, Johan K.
A1  - Roaldsen, Kirsti Skavberg
A1  - Wahman, Kerstin
SP  - 144
EP  - 151
VL  - 49
IS  - 2
N2  - OBJECTIVE: To identify risk indicators for, and incidence of, recurrent falls and fall-related injuries in wheelchair users with traumatic spinal cord injury. <br><br>DESIGN: Prospective multi-centre study. SUBJECTS: One hundred and forty-nine wheelchair users with spinal cord injury attending follow-up in Sweden and Norway. <br><br>METHODS: Inclusion criteria: wheelchair users ≥ 18 years old with traumatic spinal cord injury ≥ 1 year post-injury. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: individuals with motor complete injuries above C5. Falls were prospectively reported by text message every second week for one year and were followed-up by telephone interviews. Outcomes were: fall incidence, risk indicators for recurrent (> 2) falls and fall-related injuries. Independent variables were: demographic data, quality of life, risk willingness, functional independence, and exercise habits. <br><br>RESULTS: Of the total sample (n = 149), 96 (64%) participants fell, 45 (32%) fell recurrently, 50 (34%) were injured, and 7 (5%) severely injured. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that reporting recurrent falls the previous year increased the odds ratio (OR) of recurrent falls (OR 10.2, p < 0.001). Higher quality of life reduced the OR of fall-related injuries (OR 0.86, p = 0.037). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Previous recurrent falls was a strong predictor of future falls. The incidence of falls, recurrent falls and fall-related injuries was high. Hence, prevention of falls and fall-related injuries is important.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1650-1977
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.2340/16501977-2177
ID  - ref1
ER  -