Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Chronic Diabetes And Attentional Focus On Performance And Learning Of A Novel Stabilometer Balance Task, Rebeca Armagnac Gonzalez, Yinny Lee, Alicia Letkiewicz, Meiko Nagano Mamauag

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and Purpose: Chronic diabetes is a prevalent systemic disease that impairs physical functioning and often leads to increased risk of falls. Adopting an external focus of attention during motor skill practice has been shown to improve learning outcomes, however, it has not been examined in this population. We examined how attentional focus instructions (internal vs. external) affect balance performance and learning in older adults with and without diabetes.

Methods: Fifty-three older adults (27 with diabetes, 63.7±7.0 years) participated in the randomized, pre-post intervention study. The balance training involved 50 practice trials of a stabilometer task that was novel to …

The Psychometric Properties Of The Modified Fear Of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire In Parkinson’S Disease And Older Adults, Billy La, Arturo Aldaco, Ashley Haller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background/purpose: The Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (FFABQ), developed in 2011 to measure fear of falling avoidance behavior, has good evidence for reliability and validity. However, a recently modified version (mFFABQ) is theorized to be easier to understand for those completing the questionnaire because the Likert responses are more logical in completing the item stem. The purpose of this study was to examine the test-retest reliability and construct validity of the mFFABQ in adults with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and older adults aged 60-90 years. Methods: Thirty-nine participants (age 72.21 ± 9.5; 29 men, 10 women) diagnosed with PD (diagnosis …

A Vicious Cycle Of Fear Of Falling Avoidance Behavior In Parkinson’S Disease: A Path Analysis, Kameron Jacobson, Nicole Matsunami, Hannah Mccarl, Michelle Regis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Postural instability (PI) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with several negative down- stream consequences. Objective: The purpose was to explore the validity of a theoretical model of these downstream consequences arranged in a vicious cycle wherein PI leads to decreased balance con!dence, which in turn leads to increased fear of falling (FOF) avoidance behavior, which in turn leads to decreased physical conditioning, which then feeds back and negatively affects PI. Methods: A path analysis of cross!sectional data from 55 participants with PD was conducted. The four con- structs in the model connected in succession were: 1. PI (principal …

Association Between Patient Ability In Activities Of Daily Living At Hospital Admission And Key Indicators, Stephanie Rosen, Amber Steele

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Illness and inactivity in the hospital frequently leads to disability that can reduce quality of life and increase costs. Early identification of people with limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) who are at risk for poor outcomes such as increased length of stay (LOS), hospital acquired conditions (i.e., falls and pressure injuries (PIs)), and discharge away from home can facilitate appropriate intervention. The Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care Inpatient Activity Short Form (AM-PAC IASF), a reliable and valid tool to measure ADL limitations, is scored at admission for all patients in our hospital. The purpose of this study …

Hospital To Home: Fall Prevention Interventions For The Discharging Patient, Joy Bridewell

Nursing Masters Papers

Falls is a major public health problem globally, with an estimated 646,000 fatal falls per year. This makes falls the second leading cause of unintentional injury death. Falls are very costly with non-fatal fall injuries costing about $50 billion per year and fatal falls with an estimated $754 million. Many risk factors contribute to a person’s risk of falling. Risk factors include age, gender, muscle strength, underlying medical or disabling conditions, and unsafe environments. Patients who have been hospitalized are also among those at risk. Most hospitalized patients are assessed frequently to determine their risk of falling so that care …

Evaluating Knowledge Of Falls Risk Factors And Falls Prevention Strategies Among Lower Extremity Amputees After Inpatient Prosthetic Rehabilitation: A Prospective Study, Susan W. Hunter, Jordan Higa, Courtney Frengopoulos, Ricardo Viana, Michael Payne

Physical Therapy Publications

Purpose: Falls are prevalent among people with lower extremity amputations. A knowledge of risk factors is important in preventing falls, though no research has evaluated patient understanding of falls in this population. The study objective was to evaluate knowledge of falls risk factors and falls prevention strategies at discharge and 4-months after inpatient prosthetic rehabilitation.

Methods: Participants completed a falls questionnaires with four sections: (1) falls during rehabilitation and after discharge, (2) falls self-efficacy using the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale, (3) knowledge of falls risk factors, and (4) falls prevention strategies. Questionnaire responses were quantified using means and standard deviations …

Incidence And Prevalence Of Falls In Adults Living With An Intellectual Disability Living In The Community: A Systematic Review, Portia Ho, Shane Patman, Caroline Bulsara, Jenny Downs, Max Bulsara, Anne-Marie Hill

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Review question/objective: The objective of this review is to synthesize the best available evidence to determine the incidence and prevalence of falls in adults with intellectual disability living in the community.

The Role Of Postural Stability And Other Factors In Distal Radius Fracture, Sheena Saju Philip

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The objective of the thesis was to describe the factors leading to falls in distal radius fracture (DRF) events, explore patient perceived risk of falls, and postural stability. A mixed method study described the type of fall in DRF patients (n= 1454) and patient perceived contributing factors (n=29). A prospective cohort study examined the postural stability and related fall risk of DRF participants (n=137) in Biodex Balance System (BBS) and compared to normative values. Environmental factors were a major contributor to DRF events. Older adults (44 to 65 years) had the highest rate of DRF (female: male ratio of 2:1). …

Brachial Plexus Injury And Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Following A Fall: A Case Report, Przemyslaw Ilczyk

All Capstone Projects

Background: In the elderly population, research has shown that impairments of balance and strength are common reasons for falls. Falls constitute one of the main reasons for emergency department and hospital admissions, and are the second most common reason for brachial plexus injury. Another common symptom, after a fall and head trauma incident, is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). Approximately 50% of subjects with traumatic brain injury complain about positional vertigo. Research shows that traumatic BPPV is commonly misdiagnosed in clinical practice.

Purpose: The purpose of this case report is to present interventions that were used to treat a patient …

Identification Of Functional Parameters For The Classification Of Older Female Fallers And Prediction Of ‘First-Time’ Fallers, Niklas König Ignasiak

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Falls remain a challenge for ageing societies. Strong evidence indicates that a previous fall is the strongest single screening indicator for a subsequent fall and the need for assessing fall risk without accounting for fall history is therefore imperative. Testing in three functional domains (using a total 92 measures) were completed in 84 older women (60–85 years of age), including muscular control, standing balance, and mean and variability of gait. Participants were retrospectively classified as fallers (n = 38) or non-fallers (n = 42) and additionally in a prospective manner to identify first-time fallers (FTFs) (n = 6) within a …

Circumstances Of Falls And Falls-Related Injuries In A Cohort Of Older Patients Following Hospital Discharge, Anne-Marie Hill, Tammy Hoffman, Terry P. Haines

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background:

Older people are at increased risk of falls after hospital discharge. This study aimed to describe the circumstances of falls in the six months after hospital discharge and to identify factors associated with the time and location of these falls.

Methods:

Participants in this randomized controlled study comprised fallers (n = 138) who were part of a prospective observational cohort (n = 343) nested within a randomized controlled trial (n = 1206). The study tested patient education on falls prevention in hospital compared with usual care in older patients who were discharged from hospital and followed for six months …

The Efficacy Of A Balance Strategy Training Circuit For Community Based Elders Who Have Had A Fall, Jennifer Nitz, Nancy Low Choy

Nancy Low Choy

Background:
Older people participate in exercise programmes to reduce the risk of falls but no study has investigated a specific balance strategy training intervention presented in a workstation format for small groups.

Objective:
To determine whether a specific balance strategy training programmeme delivered in a workstation format was superior to a community based exercise class programme for reducing falls.

Design:
A randomised controlled trial model.

Setting:
Neurological Disorders, Ageing and Balance Clinic, Department of Physiotherapy, The University of Queensland.

Subjects:
73 males and females over 60 years, living independently in the community and who had fallen in the previous year …