The Role of the Physical Environment in the Hospital of the 21st Century: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity
2004
The Center for Health Design
Report
Author(s): Ulrich, R. S., Zimring, C., Quan, X., Joseph, A., Choudhary, R.
Added December 2022
Top Five Physical Design Factors Contributing to Fall Initiation
2018
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 11
Pages 50-64
Author(s): Pati, D., Lee, J., Mihandoust, S., Kazem-Zadeh, M., Oh, Y.
Falls in older patients are dangerous and are of major concern for healthcare professionals. Several studies were done on the associated causes of the falls but few have addressed the impact of the physical environment.
Added April 2018
Impact of the Physical Environment of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities (RHCSF) on Staff and Residents A Systematic Review of the Literature
2015
Environment and Behavior
Journal Article
Issue 10
Volume 48
Pages 1203-1241
Author(s): Joseph, A., Choi, Y.-S., Quan, X.
Strategies related to the design of the built environment should be considered within the context of the culture of the organization and the resident population. This study of the physical environment of residential health, care, and support facilities addresses the range of settings and population, where other studies have been lacking. The literature review strongly suggests that the built environment is an important component of care provided in residential care settings.
Added May 2016
Profile of inpatient falls in patients with dementia: A prospective comparative study between 100% single rooms and traditional multibedded wards
2016
Journal of Clinical Gerontology and Geriatrics
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 7
Pages 87-92
Author(s): Knight, S., Singh, I.
A previous study estimates that the number of people with dementia in the U.K. could reach over 1 million by the year 2025. This possibility places added pressure on U.K. hospitals to develop safer methods for taking care of patients with dementia. Dementia is associated with impaired mobility, and previous studies have shown that individuals with dementia are two to three times more likely to fall. Inpatient falls (IFs) account for nearly two-fifths of the patient safety incidents reported to the National Reporting and Learning System, and the risk of IF is highest in single-patient rooms. There are very few studies that examine the impact of dementia and IF in single rooms as compared with traditional multi-bed wards.
Added May 2016
The design and initial evaluation of visual cues in carpets to assist walking
2016
The Journal of The Textile Institute
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 107
Pages 376-385
Author(s): McNeil, S. J., Tapp, L. S.
One way to reduce the occurrence of indoor falls for both elderly people and other individuals is to improve the design of floor coverings so that they can help create a safer walking environment. A growing number of studies are showing that the design of products such as carpets can specifically help older people lead more productive and independent lives by empowering them through safer opportunities for mobility.
Added May 2016
Outcome of in-patient falls in hospitals with 100% single rooms and multi-bedded wards
2015
Age and Ageing
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 44
Pages 1032-1035
Author(s): Singh, I., Okeke, J., Edwards, C.
Patient falls are a major safety concern in hospitals. The authors report that up to 30% of patient falls result in injury, and that in the National Health Service (NHS) ward of U.K., 200,000 falls a year are documented. Of these, 900 incidents have been severe and 90 had resultant deaths.
Added December 2015
Investigating the fall-injury reducing effect of impact absorbing flooring among female nursing home residents: initial results
2015
Injury Prevention
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 21
Pages 320-324
Author(s): Gustavsson, J., Bonander, C., Andersson, R., Nilson, F.
Added October 2015
Fall prevention and bathroom safety in the epilepsy monitoring unit
2015
Epilepsy & Behavior
Journal Article
Author(s): Spritzer, S. D., Riordan, K. C., Berry, J., Corbett, B. M., Gerke, J. K., Hoerth, M. T., Crepeau, A. Z., Drazkowski, J. F., Sirven, J. I., Noe, K. H.
Injury-inducing falls are one of the most common harmful events that occur in epilepsy monitoring units (EMUs). Considering the risk provoked by epileptic symptoms such as spontaneous seizures, patients admitted to EMUs may be more likely to sustain falling injuries over patients in other areas of the hospital.
Added September 2015
Developing a multi-systemic fall prevention model, incorporating the physical environment, the care process and technology: A systematic review
2011
Journal of Advanced Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 12
Volume 67
Pages 2501-24
Author(s): Choi, Y.-S., Lawler, E., Boenecke, C. A., Ponatoski, E. R., Zimring, C. M.
Falls are the most frequently reported negative events in hospitals in the United States and other countries, and about one-third of them result in injury of some type. Injury from falls can result in increased hospital stays, increased costs and litigation, among other problems. The authors reviewed the literature on falls, fall injuries, fall risk factors, and interventions to better understand the effectiveness of different methods for fall prevention in hospital settings.
Added December 2014
Can flooring and underlay materials reduce hip fractures in older people?
2004
Nursing Older People
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 16
Pages 16-20
Author(s): Minns, J.
Falls resulting in fracture of the hip in older people are a major health problem worldwide. Flooring that is slippery and unsuitable footwear are other major factors contributing to the onset of fractures in the home. Building design should incorporate measures to minimize the risk of falls.
Added November 2014
Sustained reduction in serious fall-related injuries in older people in hospital.
2006
The Medical journal of Australia
Journal Article
Issue 8
Volume 184
Pages 379-382
Author(s): Fonda, D., Cook, J., Sandler, V., Bailey, M.
Falls are the leading cause of injury in Australian hospitals, with 38 percent of all hospital incidents related to falls. In hospital settings, single interventions have not been proven successful in preventing or reducing falls, whereas multisystem or multi-strategy approaches have shown to be more effective.
Added November 2014
Fall and Injury Prevention in Older People Living in Residential Care Facilities: A Cluster Randomized Trial
2002
Annals of Internal Medicine
Journal Article
Issue 10
Volume 136
Pages 733–741
Author(s): Jensen, J., Lundin-Olsson, L., Nyberg, L., Gustafson, Y.
Despite the fact that falls and resulting injuries are common in the residential care population, little is known about how to prevent falls. Research during the past 10 years around fall prevention has shown positive and negative results. Some of these inconsistent results could be explained by differences in target groups, interventions, and outcome measures.
Added May 2014
A novel night lighting system for postural control and stability in seniors
2008
Lighting Research and Technology
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 40
Pages 111-126
Author(s): Figueiro, M. G., Gras, L., Qi, R., Rizzo, P., Rea, M., Rea, M. S.
Age-related changes may result in impaired balance control, and thus can lead to increase risk of falls among the elderly. Visual information provides a spatial reference for self-position and location of obstacles within a person’s environment. Lack of this information results in increased body sway. In addition, low ambient light levels reduce postural control. Therefore, this study investigated the effectiveness of a novel self-luminous light emitting diode (LED) night-lighting system that provided linear spatial orientation cues plus low ambient lighting for enhancing postural control in healthy seniors.
Added April 2014
Interventions for the prevention of falls in older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
Issue 7441
Volume 328
Pages 680-686
Author(s): Chang, J.T., Morton, S.C, Rubenstein, L. Z., Mojica, W.A., Maglione, M., Suttorp, M.J., Shekelle, P. G.
Falls are a major health concern for older adults worldwide, not only because of the potential for fractures and head injuries, but also for the emotional toll—the fear and anxiety—that can develop as a result of an injury or close call. While the literature on fall interventions is vast, there is limited understanding about the best methods for preventing falls. The authors conducted an extensive review and analysis of relevant, rigorous research trials to assess the relative effectiveness of different types of fall interventions. Under comparison were falls risk assessment and management programs, exercise programs, environmental modification programs, and educational interventions.
Added March 2014
Effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention on falls in nursing home residents
2003
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 51
Pages 306–313
Author(s): Becker, C., Kron, M., Lindemann, U., Sturm, E., Eichner, B., Walter-Jung, B., Nikolaus, T.
Older people are particularly susceptible to falls and fractures due to mobility limitations and physical instability. Falls and fractures commonly result in functional deterioration, increased medical costs, and increased burden for all involved in the care setting. Attempts to prevent falls and reduce fall and fracture incidence rates both at home and in long-term care facilities span from educational interventions to adjustments of medication intake to environmental adaptations.
Added March 2014
Flooring as an intervention to reduce injuries from falls in healthcare settings: an overview
Issue 1
Volume 8
Pages 3-9
Author(s): Drahota, A., Gal, D., Windsor, J.
As the elderly population grows, the risk of falls in healthcare settings and of injuries resulting from falls will increase, as this population exhibits higher risk for falling due to age-related factors. Researchers have long focused on variables that impact fall prevention in healthcare settings; yet, since prevention of all falls is not possible, and about 30% of patient falls result in injury, there is growing interest in understanding strategies for injury prevention, to reduce the more serious cost and health implications of falls.
Added March 2014
Does the type of flooring affect the risk of hip fracture?
2004
Age and Ageing
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 33
Pages 242-246
Author(s): Simpson, A. H. R. W. , Lamb, S. , Roberts, P. J. , Gardner, T.N. , Grimley, E.J.
Hip fractures are a serious consequence of falls, especially for aging populations. Number of hip fractures occuring worldwide is estimated to reach 6.3 million worldwide, by the year 2050. Conventionally the issue of fractures has been looked at in terms of intrinsic factors related to the patient. Extrinsic factors that could affect the impact, such as the floor (or surface of the impact) have not been investigated in great details. This UK based study seeks to fill this gap in the research.
Added October 2012
Characteristics and circumstances of falls in a hospital setting
2004
Journal of General Internal Medicine
Journal Article
Issue 7
Volume 19
Pages 732–739
Author(s): Hitcho, E., Krauss, M., Birge, S., Dunagan, W., Fischer, I., Johnson, S., Nast, P. A., Costantinou, E., Fraser, V. J.
Patient falls refer to patients’ unplanned descent to the floor with or without injuries to the patients. Patient falls are common for inpatients, averaging 2.3 to 7 falls per 1,000 patient days. About 30% of the falls lead to injuries, which contribute to higher healthcare cost. In order to prevent falls, it is very important to understand the epidemiology of patient falls, including the characteristics of fallers, the distribution and patterns of falls, contributing factors, and fall-related injuries.
Added August 2012
