Cohort Study for Catching Barriers to Falls Prevention
Goals
Falls are one of the leading causes of injuries and deaths among older adults in the United States. Falls can have a significant negative impact on a patient’s quality of life. Frequently, victims of a fall injury will develop a fear of falling, which can cause a restriction in everyday life. Estimates for patients who develop fear of falling are as high as 85%. This can also result in impaired functional capacity, decreased cognitive function, and depression. Therefore, it is crucial to determine how to best prevent falls. Fall prevention programs aim to reduce this problem, but patients face many barriers when trying to enroll. Therefore, investigation is needed to better understand the specific barriers to enrolling in fall prevention programs.
Issues Involved or Addressed
To maximize patient outcomes, it is important to understand the barriers that prevent them from enrolling in fall prevention programs.
Key terms in our research include:
• Falls
• Falls prevention
• Health equity
• Older adults
• Disabled
Methods and Tech
The study aims to gather data on potential barriers among patients that keep them from enrolling in fall prevention programs on two occasions: 1) during their stay at the hospital, and 2) a month after patient discharge. Our data will inform further investigations and eventual improvements to fall prevention programs. VIP Team members will engage in patient recruitment and interviewing to collect data. Participatory design principles will be used to develop solutions and propose changes.
Academic Majors of Interest
Open to all majors and minors, with particular interest in students that need hospital and bedside hours. Majors include, but are not limited to, students from the Health Sciences colleges, School of Information, Sociology, and Healthcare Management.
Preferred Interests and Preparation
No prior skills or experience are needed. Skills of value include Spanish proficiency or fluency, familiarity with study design, and previous experience with data analysis.
Students should value patient privacy, and be open to interacting with patients and healthcare professionals on a multidisciplinary team.
Application Process
To express interest in this team, please complete the VIP Interest Form and select "Cohort Study for Catching Barriers to Falls Prevention"