Professional paper
AWARENESS OF ELDERLY PERSONS ABOUT PROCEDURES IN FALL AND CONSEQUENCES OF FALL
INA STAŠEVIĆ
orcid.org/0000-0002-6912-2191
; University of Applied Sciences, Study of Nursing, Bjelovar, Croatia
ANITA PRSKALO
orcid.org/0000-0003-4521-6799
; Zagreb West Health Center, Zagreb, Croatia
DARKO ROPAC
orcid.org/0000-0002-9805-3869
; Catholic University of Croatia, Department of Nursing, Zagreb, Croatia
GORANKA RAFAJ
orcid.org/0000-0001-9878-3901
; University of Applied Sciences, Study of Nursing, Bjelovar, Croatia
ŽIVKO STOJČIĆ
; University of Applied Sciences, Study of Nursing, Bjelovar, Croatia
Abstract
Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the level of awareness of the elderly about the procedures and consequences of falls and injuries. Subjects and Methods: The survey was conducted as a cross-sectional study using a questionnaire and included 220 respondents aged ≥65, living in their own households. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 79.20 years (men 35.5%, women 64.5%). Study results revealed that 49.9% of them had sustained fall in the previous year. Information on fall prevention procedures received 50.9% of them (31.4% by a nurse). There was no statistically signifi cant difference in the level of information according to age (p=1.69, p>0.05), gender (p=0.497, p>0.05), and experience of fall (p=0.302, p>0.05). There was a signifi cant difference in the variable of the level of education (p=0.007, p<0.05), and in relation to the fact with whom they lived (p=0.022, p<0.05). Respondents with higher education and those who did not live alone had a higher level of knowledge compared to respondents with lower education and singles. Conclusion: No significant difference was found in information about the procedures and consequences of the fall according to age, gender, and experience of fall, while a significant difference was found according to the level of education and circumstances in which the respondent lived. The established level of information indicated the need to further upgrade the knowledge and increase the awareness of older people about the procedures and consequences of fall.
Keywords
lderly; accidental falls; knowledge
Hrčak ID:
274019
URI
Publication date:
16.3.2022.
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