Review: evidence from single studies shows that very few fall risk assessment tools can predict falls in elderly people
Q What is the accuracy of tools for assessing risk of falls in elderly people in various settings?
METHODS
Data sources:
Medline, EbscoHost Academic Search Premier, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, Nursing and Allied Health Collection, Health Business Elite, Biomedical Reference Collection, Cochrane Library, and article references.
Study selection and assessment:
English-language prospective studies that were published between 1980 and July 2004 and evaluated a fall risk assessment tool; assessed outcomes of falls, fall-related injuries, or gait/balance; and included mostly participants ⩾65 years of age. 34 articles (assessing 38 tools) met the selection criteria.
Outcomes:
sensitivity, specificity, …
