Table 1.
Participant and visit characteristics
| Characteristics | No Self-reported Falls (n=35) |
Any Self-reported Fall (Not Including ED Study Visit Day) (n=34) |
Fall on ED Study Visit Day (n=20) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | Mean/% | N | Mean/% | N | Mean/% | |
| Age (Mean, in years) | 33 | 75.3 | 34 | 75.9 | 20 | 78.6 |
| Gender (%) | ||||||
| Female | 20 | 57.1 | 21 | 61.8 | 16 | 80.0 |
| Male | 14 | 40.0 | 12 | 35.3 | 4 | 20.0 |
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | ||||||
| White Non-Hispanic | 29 | 82.9 | 31 | 91.2 | 19 | 95.0 |
| Black/African-American | 2 | 5.7 | 1 | 2.9 | 1 | 5.0 |
| White Hispanic | 1 | 2.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Black Hispanic | 1 | 2.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Asian | 1 | 2.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2.9 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Educational level (%) | ||||||
| Less than high school graduate | 1 | 2.9 | 6 | 17.6 | 4 | 20.0 |
| High school graduate / GED# | 22 | 62.9 | 16 | 47.1 | 9 | 45.0 |
| Any college | 4 | 11.4 | 5 | 14.7 | 4 | 20.0 |
| College graduate | 6 | 17.1 | 5 | 14.7 | 3 | 15.0 |
| Health insurance status (%) | ||||||
| Private | 5 | 14.3 | 3 | 8.8 | 2 | 10.0 |
| Governmental | 3 | 8.6 | 4 | 11.8 | 5 | 25.0 |
| Private and governmental | 26 | 74.3 | 25 | 73.5 | 13 | 65.0 |
| Employment status (%) | ||||||
| Working full-time | 4 | 11.4 | 4 | 11.8 | 3 | 15.0 |
| Working part-time | 4 | 11.4 | 2 | 5.9 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Retired and not working | 24 | 68.6 | 25 | 73.5 | 15 | 75.0 |
| On disability and not working | 2 | 5.7 | 2 | 5.9 | 2 | 10.0 |
| Living arrangements (%) | ||||||
| Nursing home resident | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2.9 | 1 | 5.0 |
| Assisted living resident | 2 | 5.7 | 1 | 2.9 | 1 | 5.0 |
| Lives with others, not in a facility | 23 | 65.7 | 20 | 58.8 | 11 | 55.0 |
| Lives alone, not in a facility | 9 | 25.7 | 11 | 32.4 | 7 | 35.0 |
| Triage acuity (%) | ||||||
| ESI 1° | 2 | 5.7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| ESI 2 | 9 | 25.7 | 13 | 38.2 | 7 | 35.0 |
| ESI 3 | 21 | 60.0 | 18 | 52.9 | 12 | 60.0 |
| ESI 4 or ESI 5 | 1 | 2.9 | 1 | 2.9 | 1 | 5.0 |
| Unassigned | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2.9 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Cognitive and functional ability | ||||||
| Cognitive Six-item Screener score (%) | ||||||
| 4 | 3 | 8.6 | 6 | 17.6 | 6 | 30.0 |
| 5 | 6 | 17.1 | 5 | 14.7 | 5 | 25.0 |
| 6 | 24 | 68.6 | 22 | 64.7 | 8 | 40.0 |
| Barthel’s ADL score (mean) | 33 | 19.0 | 31 | 18.3 | 19 | 18.4 |
| Comorbidities associated with fall risk (%) | ||||||
| Memory loss | 4 | 11.4 | 10 | 29.4 | 5 | 25.0 |
| Arthritis | 11 | 31.4 | 23 | 67.7 | 12 | 60.0 |
| Hypotension | 3 | 8.6 | 8 | 23.5 | 2 | 10.0 |
| Dizziness | 11 | 31.4 | 17 | 50.0 | 7 | 35.0 |
| Anemia | 3 | 8.6 | 4 | 11.8 | 1 | 5.0 |
| Parkinson’s disease | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2.9 | 1 | 5.0 |
| Heart disease | 10 | 28.6 | 14 | 41.2 | 4 | 20.0 |
| Stroke | 3 | 8.6 | 3 | 8.8 | 1 | 5.0 |
| Diabetes | 6 | 17.1 | 12 | 35.3 | 2 | 10.0 |
| None | 9 | 25.7 | 1 | 2.9 | 5 | 25.0 |
| Substance use (%) | ||||||
| Smoke ≥ 1 pack of cigarettes a week | ||||||
| No | 32 | 91.4 | 31 | 91.2 | 17 | 85.0 |
| Yes | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 8.8 | 3 | 15.0 |
| Drink ≥ 1 alcoholic drink per week | ||||||
| No | 29 | 82.9 | 27 | 79.4 | 14 | 70.0 |
| Yes | 4 | 11.4 | 5 | 14.7 | 6 | 30.0 |
| Number of fall-risk increasing medications taken* (%) | ||||||
| 0 | 11 | 31.4 | 12 | 35.3 | 7 | 35.0 |
| 1 | 9 | 25.7 | 8 | 23.5 | 3 | 15.0 |
| 2 | 2 | 5.7 | 2 | 5.9 | 1 | 5.0 |
| 3 | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 8.8 | 1 | 5.0 |
Note: Percentages do not add up to 100% due to refused, don’t know, and missing responses.
#
GED – General Education Diploma
°
ESI – Emergency Severity Index – is a triage scoring tool used in Emergency Departments, with ESI 1 designation given to the most critical patients.
*
Beers criteria fall-risk increasing medications: anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, nonbenzodiazepine / benzodiazepine receptor agonist, hypnotics, eszopiclone, zaleplon, zolpidem, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), opioids