ABSTRACT
Objective To provide evidences for fall prevention through environmental safety assessment of elderly patients admitted in different grade hospitals. Methods 24 different levels hospitals located in 10 cities in southwest of China were surveyed with assessment form of fall-related factors of hospital environment for elderly patients. Results Hospital public environment and ward public environment were assessed well by elderly patients which were 4.10 points and 4.06 points, but the scores for ground channel environment and toilet environment were lower which were 3.92 points and 3.65 points;Scores of tertiary-class hospitals were better than that in second-class hospitals, including ward facilities (t=-2.756, P0.05). Conclusions Public hospital environment and public ward environment got higher scores, and the scores of ground-channel environment and the bathroom environment were relatively lower. Environment in second-class hospitals need to improve in order to prevent fall of elderly patients. Assessment form of fall-related factors of hospital environment for elderly patients is helpful to disclose the unsafety factors of the hospital environment, and should be windely used in futher clinical practice.