Table 2.

Taxonomy used in the World Falls Guidelines

Fall	An unexpected event in which an individual comes to rest on the ground, floor, or lower level
Recurrent falls	Two or more falls reported in the previous 12 months
Unexplained fall	When no apparent cause has been found for a fall on performing a multifactorial falls risk assessment and it cannot be explained by a failure to adapt to an environmental hazard or by any other gait or balance abnormality
Severe fall	Fall with injuries that are severe enough to require a consultation with a physician; result in the person lying on the ground without capacity to get up for at least one hour; prompt a visit to the emergency room (ER); associated with loss of consciousness
Fall related injury	An injury sustained following a fall. This includes an injury resulting in medical attention including hospitalisation for a fall such as fractures, joint dislocation, head injury, sprain or strain, bruising, swelling, laceration, or other serious injury following a fall
Fall risk stratification	A single or set of assessments performed to grade an individual’s risk of falling, to guide what further assessments or interventions might be necessary
Multifactorial falls risk assessment	A set of assessments performed across multiple domains to judge an individual’s overall level of risk of falling to identify the individual risk factors - potentially modifiable and non-modifiable -to inform the choice of an intervention
Caregiver	A caregiver provides assistance in meeting the daily needs of another person. Caregivers are referred to as either ‘formal’ or ‘informal.’ ‘Formal’ caregivers are paid for their services and have had training in providing care. This may include services from home health agencies and other trained professionals. ‘Informal’ caregivers, also called family caregivers, are persons who give care to family or friends usually without payment. A caregiver gives care, generally in the home environment, for an ageing parent, spouse, other relative or unrelated person, or for an ill, or disabled person. These tasks may include transportation, grocery shopping, housework, preparing meals. Also giving assistance with getting dressed, getting out of bed, help with eating and incontinence.
Exercise	Exercise is a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive and has as a final or an intermediate objective the improvement or maintenance of physical fitness. Physical fitness is a set of attributes that are either health- or skill-related
Fall risk increasing drugs (FRIDs)	Medications known to increase the risk of falls
Fall risk stratification algorithm	The systematic process of decision-making and intervention that should occur for falls risk case findings
Low- and Middle- income countries (LMIC)	As defined by World Bank Classification for Low- and Middle- Income Countries https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/new-world-bank-country-classifications-income-level-2021-2022
Multicomponent exercise	This type of programme combines strength, aerobic, balance, gait and flexibility training
Multidomain interventions	A combination of two or more intervention components across two or more domains (e.g.: an exercise program and environmental modification) based on a multifactorial falls risk assessment and intended to prevent or minimise falls and related injuries
Multicomponent interventions	These are fixed combinations of two or more intervention components that are not individually tailored following a multifactorial falls risk assessment. Multicomponent interventions vary widely: for illustration, an example could be a medication review, home modifications and generic exercise advice
Physical activity	Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure. The energy expenditure can be measured in kilocalories. Physical activity in daily life can be categorised into occupational, sports, conditioning, household, or other activities
Telehealth	Involves communicating with individuals at home via telephone or video calls
Smart home systems	System that aims to decrease environmental hazards and forecast potentially impending falls using sensors and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology