Downton Fall Risk Index to identify patients with a high risk of falling

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SBU Enquiry Service

Responds to queries received from Swedish healthcare and social service providers, or governmental organisations. Queries have a limited scope and the process is designed to enable a more rapid response, typically within two to three months. Reports are based on systematic reviews, that are identified through structured searches and critically appraised for risk of bias.

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Published: Report no: ut202005 Registration no: SBU 2019/496

Question

What systematic reviews and scientific studies are there on Downton Fall Risk Index to identify risk of falling in hospitalised patients?

Identified literature

Eight systematic reviews with a high risk of bias were identified [1-8]. Nine primary studies were identified [9-17]. These were not assessed for risk of bias.

References

  1. Aranda-Gallardo M, Morales-Asencio JM, Canca-Sanchez JC, Barrero-Sojo S, Perez-Jimenez C, Morales-Fernandez A, et al. Instruments for assessing the risk of falls in acute hospitalized patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC health services research 2013;13:122.
  2. da Costa BR, Rutjes AW, Mendy A, Freund-Heritage R, Vieira ER. Can falls risk prediction tools correctly identify fall-prone elderly rehabilitation inpatients? A systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one 2012;7:e41061.
  3. Lee J, Geller AI, Strasser DC. Analytical review: focus on fall screening assessments. PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation 2013;5:609-21.
  4. Majkusová K, Jarošová D. VALIDITY OF TOOLS FOR ASSESSING THE RISK OF FALLS IN PATIENTS. Central European Journal of Nursing & Midwifery 2017;8:697-705.
  5. Myers H. Hospital fall risk assessment tools: a critique of the literature. International Journal of Nursing Practice (Wiley-Blackwell) 2003;9:223-35.
  6. Oliver D, Daly F, Martin FC, McMurdo ME. Risk factors and risk assessment tools for falls in hospital in-patients: a systematic review. Age and ageing 2004;33:122-30.
  7. Park SH. Tools for assessing fall risk in the elderly: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Aging clinical and experimental research 2018;30:1-16.
  8. Scott V, Votova K, Scanlan A, Close J. Multifactorial and functional mobility assessment tools for fall risk among older adults in community, home-support, long-term and acute care settings. Age and ageing 2007;36:130-9.
  9. Aranda-Gallardo M, Enriquez de Luna-Rodriguez M, Vazquez-Blanco MJ, Canca-Sanchez JC, Moya-Suarez AB, Morales-Asencio JM. Diagnostic validity of the STRATIFY and Downton instruments for evaluating the risk of falls by hospitalised acute-care patients: a multicentre longitudinal study. BMC health services research 2017;17:277.
  10. Bueno-Garcia MJ, Roldan-Chicano MT, Rodriguez-Tello J, Merono-Rivera MD, Davila-Martinez R, Berenguer-Garcia N. Characteristics of the Downton fall risk assessment scale in hospitalised patients. Enfermeria clinica 2017;27:227-34.
  11. Bugdayci D, Paker N, Dere D, Ozdemir E, Ince N. Frequency, features, and factors for falls in a group of subacute stroke patients hospitalized for rehabilitation in Istanbul. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics 2011;52:e215-9.
  12. Nilsson M, Eriksson J, Larsson B, Oden A, Johansson H, Lorentzon M. Fall Risk Assessment Predicts Fall-Related Injury, Hip Fracture, and Head Injury in Older Adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 2016;64:2242-50.
  13. Nyberg L, Gustafson Y. Using the Downton index to predict those prone to falls in stroke rehabilitation. Stroke 1996;27:1821-4.
  14. Saverino A, Benevolo E, Ottonello M, Zsirai E, Sessarego P. Falls in a rehabilitation setting: functional independence and fall risk. Europa medicophysica 2006;42:179-84.
  15. Vassallo M, Poynter L, Sharma JC, Kwan J, Allen SC. Fall risk-assessment tools compared with clinical judgment: an evaluation in a rehabilitation ward. Age and ageing 2008;37:277-81.
  16. Vassallo M, Sharma JC, Briggs RSJ, Allen SC. Characteristics of early fallers on elderly patient rehabilitation wards. Age & Ageing 2003;32:338-42.
  17. Vassallo M, Stockdale R, Sharma JC, Briggs R, Allen S. A comparative study of the use of four fall risk assessment tools on acute medical wards. J Am Geriatr Soc 2005;53:1034-8.
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