Comparison of two fall risk screening tools in elderly care
Koskinen, Juulia (2023)
Koskinen, Juulia
2023
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023051410628
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023051410628
Tiivistelmä
The objective of this thesis was to study in what ways the data of two different fall risk screening tools, FROP-Com screen and VTT’s mobile fall risk assessment solution, was co-directional when used in the elderly. In addition, attention was paid towards the similarities and differences in the usability and usefulness of these two tools during the testing.
This study was made in co-operation with The Technical Research Centre in Finland Ltd (VTT) which is one of Europe’s leading research institutions and the developer of the novel mobile fall risk assessment solution. The empirical part of the study was conducted in elderly support and assessment ward Kurjensiipi 2 which is run by the welfare division of the city of Turku.
This thesis was a mixed method study in which the quantitative data was collected by testing the fall risk of 20 voluntary elderly participants with FROP-Com screening tool and VTT’s mobile fall risk assessment solution which is based on an accelerometer and mobile application. The participants were guided through both fall risk screening tests and the results were marked in a table. The fall risk data was analysed using descriptive and correlational methods. During the testing attention was paid towards the similarities and differences in the usability and usefulness of these two tools. This qualitative data was written down for later deductive content analysis.
Both tools could identify the individuals at risk of falling. Despite of the different action mechanism and score system of these two screening tools there was a positive moderate correlation between the results. Meaning changes in other fall risk screening tool were related to the same type of changes in other fall risk screening tool. Usability and usefulness observation gave an under-standing about the need of a fall risk screening tool that is objective, easy and quick to use and suitable for elderly with and without memory impairments.
This thesis gives an insight about the use of sensing technology in fall risk screening. It also explains the meaning of usability and usefulness in fall risk screening. The results can help VTT to enable product development.
This study was made in co-operation with The Technical Research Centre in Finland Ltd (VTT) which is one of Europe’s leading research institutions and the developer of the novel mobile fall risk assessment solution. The empirical part of the study was conducted in elderly support and assessment ward Kurjensiipi 2 which is run by the welfare division of the city of Turku.
This thesis was a mixed method study in which the quantitative data was collected by testing the fall risk of 20 voluntary elderly participants with FROP-Com screening tool and VTT’s mobile fall risk assessment solution which is based on an accelerometer and mobile application. The participants were guided through both fall risk screening tests and the results were marked in a table. The fall risk data was analysed using descriptive and correlational methods. During the testing attention was paid towards the similarities and differences in the usability and usefulness of these two tools. This qualitative data was written down for later deductive content analysis.
Both tools could identify the individuals at risk of falling. Despite of the different action mechanism and score system of these two screening tools there was a positive moderate correlation between the results. Meaning changes in other fall risk screening tool were related to the same type of changes in other fall risk screening tool. Usability and usefulness observation gave an under-standing about the need of a fall risk screening tool that is objective, easy and quick to use and suitable for elderly with and without memory impairments.
This thesis gives an insight about the use of sensing technology in fall risk screening. It also explains the meaning of usability and usefulness in fall risk screening. The results can help VTT to enable product development.