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
A controlled trial of the impact of exposure to positive images of dentistry on anticipatory dental fear in children
Issue 6
Volume 34
Pages 455-459
Author(s): Fox, C., Newton, J.
Many children are anxious about visiting the dentist, but viewing positive images of dentistry for 2 minutes in the waiting room prior to their appointment significantly reduced study participants’ anticipatory dental anxiety.
Added March 2014
Clinical review: The impact of noise on patients’ sleep and the effectiveness of noise reduction strategies in intensive care units
2009
Critical Care
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 13
Pages 208–216
Author(s): Xie, H., Kang, J., Mills, G. H.
The World Health Organization recommends that noise levels in hospitals stay below 30 dBA at night to allow for better rest, yet excessive noise is prevalent in many healthcare settings, including intensive care units (ICUs). Research indicates that, since the 1960s, noise levels in hospitals increased by an average of 0.38 dBA (day) and 0.42 dBA (night) per year. Other research reports that the noise level in ICUs ranges from 50 to 75 dBA, with a night peak level soaring to 103 dBA. It’s easy to see why sleep disturbance is common among these vulnerable patients.
Added February 2014
Nurses’ Perceptions of How physical Environment Affects Medication Errors in Acute Care Settings
2011
Applied Nursing Research
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 24
Pages 229–237
Author(s): Mahmood, A., Chaudhury, H., Valente, M.
Medication errors in hospitals occur for a number of reasons, stemming from staff and organizational issues to aspects of the physical environment. Errors include omissions, giving the wrong type or amount of medication, and giving the wrong patient unneeded medication. Research has indicated that a significant amount of these errors are avoidable.
Added February 2014
Servicescape: Physical environment of hospital pharmacies and hospital pharmacists’ work outcomes
2008
Health Care Management Review
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 33
Pages 156-168
Author(s): Lin, B.Y.-J., Leu, W.-J., Breen, G.-M., Lin, W.-H.
Researchers have studied the healthcare work environment from a number of angles, from an organizational behavior perspective honing in on motivation and reward, to an occupational and environmental perspective concerned with comfort and ergonomics, to a pathogenic perspective interested in exposure to disease. The idea of a “servicescape” has arisen in healthcare marketing to investigate the impact of the physical environment of service settings on employees’ psychological states and perceptions.
Added February 2014
Characteristics of the Nighttime Hospital Bedside Care Environment (Sound, Light, and Temperature) for Children With Cancer
2011
Cancer Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 34
Pages 176-185
Author(s): Linder, L. A., Christian, B. J.
Children with cancer have a lot to cope with aside from their disease and its treatment. Often, they are in unfamiliar healthcare environments that may be too noisy or bright to facilitate uninterrupted sleep. However, not much is known about the sound and light levels in either pediatric or adult inpatient oncology units.
Added January 2014
Effects of low humidity and high air velocity in a heated room on physiological responses and thermal comfort after bathing: An experimental study
2009
International Journal of Nursing Studies
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 46
Pages 172-180
Author(s): Hashiguchi, N., Tochihara, T.
Winter often brings low humidity and high air flow from HVAC systems that may cause health-related issues for patients and can impact how comfortable they are before and after a bath.
Added January 2014
The sound environment in an ICU patient room—a content analysis of sound levels and patient experiences
2012
Intensive and Critical Care Nursing
Journal Article
Author(s): Johansson, L., Bergbom, I., Wayeb, K. P., Ryherd, E., Lindahl, B.
This study was a prestudy for the planning and design of a larger one, where the aim is to investigate the relationship between sound (objective and subjective) and adult intensive care unit (ICU) delirium and/or other factors. It used sound measurement, behavioral observation, and interview methods. The results provide a good list of sound/noise impact on patients and subsequent ICU design considerations.
Added January 2014
Lighting and perceptual cues: Effects on gait measures of older adults at high and low risk for falls
2011
BMC Geriatrics
Journal Article
Issue 49
Volume 11
Pages 1471-2318
Author(s): Figueiro, M., Plitnik, B., Rea, M., Gras, L., Rea, M. S.
The visual system plays an important role in maintaining balance while navigating the environment. Older adults often depend heavily on visual information to maintain balance and orientation due to age related changes that affect their vestibular system (contributes to balance and spatial orientation) and somatosensory system (that moderates sensations of touch, smell etc.). Even small reductions in visibility could severely impact their gait and balance and potentially result in a fall. Even in healthy older adults, gait becomes slower and step lengths become shorter under dim lighting conditions.
Added November 2012
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
Effects of waiting on the satisfaction with the service: Beyond objective time measures
1998
International Journal of Research in Marketing
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 15
Pages 321-334
Author(s): Pruyn, A., Smidts, A.
Wait times are a persistent concern in healthcare today. It is a concern that healthcare shares with other service industries. To counter this waiting areas provide numerous distractions- TVs, magazines, vending machines, computer kiosks etc. The efficacy of these distractions is beginning to be studied in greater detail today.
Added October 2012
Factors Determining Inpatient Satisfaction With Care
2002
Social Science & Medicine
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 54
Pages 493-504
Author(s): Thi, P. L.N. , Briancon,S., Empereur, F., Guillemin, F.
With the growing interest in patient-centered care, patient evaluations of their own experiences have been increasingly used to improve the quality of care. Factors associated with satisfaction are thought to include the structure, process and outcome of care as well as patient sociodemographic, physical and psychological status, and attitudes and expectations concerning medical care.
Added October 2012
Effects of music therapy on women’s physiologic measures, anxiety, and satisfaction during cesarean delivery.
2005
Research in Nursing and Health
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 28
Pages 453-461
Author(s): Chang, S-C., Chen, C-H.
Due to many factors Taiwan has a high rate of cesarean birth deliveries. Childbirth causes high stress in women. In case of cesarean birth such stress increases because it is a major surgery. For many women cesarean birth has negative emotional consequences. Music therapy, the systematic application of music to aid in the treatment of physiological and psychological aspects of an illness or disability, has been shown in multiple studies to help reduce anxiety and stress, distract attention and increase threshold of pain during painful procedures. Music therapy has the potential to help women recover from cesarean deliveries.
Added October 2012
Daylight exposure and the other predictors of burnout among nurses in a University Hospital
2005
International Journal of Nursing Studies
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 42
Pages 549-555
Author(s): Alimoglua, M. K., Donmez, L.
The purpose of the study was to investigate if daylight exposure in work setting could be placed among the predictors of job burnout. The sample was composed of 141 nurses who work in Akdeniz University Hospital in Antalya, Turkey. All participants were asked to complete a personal data collection form, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Work Related Strain Inventory and the Work Satisfaction...
Added October 2012
A comparison of patient and staff satisfaction with services after relocating to a new purpose-built mental health facility
2009
Australian Psychiatry
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 17
Pages 212-217
Author(s): Cleary, M., Hunt, G., Walter, G.
The physical environment of a hospital can support recovery from mental illness. Mental health patients are extremely vulnerable to changes in their environments. The paper reports on the impact on patients and staff of a relocation of Australia’s oldest and largest psychiatric hospitals, Sydney’s Rozelle Hospital. The new 174-bed purpose-built meant health facility provided patients with their own rooms within single story units. Further, patients were grouped in wards based on the phase of their illness and required treatment.
Added October 2012
Outcomes of environmental appraisal of different hospital waiting areas
2003
Environment and Behavior
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 35
Pages 842-869
Author(s): Leather, P., Beale, D., Santos, A., Watts, J., Lee, L.
Hospitals can be unfamliar environments and can create negative feelings and stress. The physical environmentcan be a source of stress or haved an effect on coping resources. Past research identifies disparities and hierarchical differences between the way environmental needs and desires are prioritized for clinical and medical staff; inpatients; outpatients; and visitors. Few studies evaluate ambulatory care environments.
Added October 2012
Factors influencing patient satisfaction when undergoing endoscopic procedures
2009
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 69
Pages 883-891
Author(s): Ko, H. H., Zhang, H., Telford, J. J., Enns, R.
Patient satisfaction with endoscopic procedures helps establish performance standards, increases the accountability of physicians and staff, may facilitate patient compliance, and can lead to improvements in the quality of care. Limited data are available regarding the best mechanism and timing for assessing patient satisfaction with endoscopy.
Added October 2012
Impact of Emergency Department Built Environment on Timeliness of Physician Assessment of Patients With Chest Pain
2008
Environment & Behavior
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 40
Pages 233-248
Author(s): Hall, K. K., Kyriacou, D. N., Handler, J. A., Adams, J. G.
With millions of chest-pain related visits to the emergency department (ED) each year, this demographic one of the most frequently studied in the emergency medicine (ED) literature. As the timeliness of care can lead to significant decreases in both morbidity and mortality, the authors suggest that elements of the architectural design of an ED, specifically the location of the treatment rooms (distance from physician work areas), should be considered when evaluating factors related to quality of care.
Added October 2012
