The Factors Associated with Fall in the Stroke Patients

ABSTRACT

Fall is a major threat to the stroke patients. The purpose of this study is to find out the potential risk factors for recurrent falls in the stroke patients. The subjects were sampled 20 hemiplegic fallers who experienced at least one fall at the stroke center of Hangkang Sacred Heart hospital. Balance subscale and gait scale of Tinetti was used as a screening test for referral to mobility fuction. The potential contributing factors for fall were social activity, impulsivity, congnition, motivation. These factors were correlated with falls. The authors also surveyed the places, postures of activities, and injurires from falls. The falls occurred 2.5 times average in studied subjects and is most of subjects the first fall occurred in their first month of standing and gait training. 58.3% of falls occurred indoor(33.3% in room), 29.2% at hospital, 12.5% outdoor. The activities related to fall were walking 36.8%, rising from a chair 36.8%, sitting 10.5%. Although, most(75%) of injuries were soft tissue contusions or strains, the other 25.1% of falls accompanied fractures. The femur fracture was 18.8%, and compressed spine fracture was 6.3%. The social activity was most strongly correlated with falls with high correlation coefficent of 0.72. The other factors were not significant with lower coefficient values, balance scale of 0.35, gait scale of 0.24, motivation of 0.40, congnition of 0.26, impulsivity of ?0.19. It was suggested that activity plays an important mediating risk factor for falls in the stroke patients. These data support the concept of preventive strategy for falls in the stroke patients who are at risk.