Assessment of Risk Factors for Falls in Hospitalized Older Adults A Meta-Analysis

PURPOSE: To investigate risk factors for falls in hospitalized older adults to justify the adoption of targeted nursing measures. METHOD: Meta-analysis was used to synthesize national and international published studies on risk factors for falls in hospitalized older adults. RESULTS: A total of 10 studies were included. Administration of psychotropic drugs, limb weakness, weak walking ability or unsteady gait, visual impairment, and history of falls were risk factors for the occurrence of falls in hospitalized older adults. Administration of psychotropic drugs had the highest association with falls (odds ratio [OR] = 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.58, 3.14]) followed by limb weakness (OR = 1.59; 95% CI [0.26, 2.92]) and visual impairment (OR = 1.51; 95% CI [0.22, 2.80]). The lowest combined OR for the association between weak walking ability or unsteady gait and falls was 1.05 (95% CI [0.60, 1.50]) compared with 1.38 (95% CI [1.15, 1.60]) for history of falls. CONCLUSION: The current meta-analysis derived risk factors for falls in hospitalized older adults, with results having greater stability and reliability than those of a single study. [ Research in Gerontological Nursing, 17 (5), 238-245.]