Falls on an inpatient rehabilitation spinal injuries unit: the characteristics, circumstances, and consequences

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective audit OBJECTIVES: To describe the nature of falls and fallers in a spinal injuries unit (SIU) and identify factors associated with having more than one fall (recurrent fallers) and falls with physical or psychological consequences (consequential falls). SETTING: An Australian inpatient rehabilitation SIU. METHODS: Data were retrospectively extracted from falls incident reports and electronic medical records over a 5-year period. Data were analysed descriptively to summarise participant and fall details. Univariate analyses identified candidate variables for further investigation in a multivariate model for recurrent fallers and consequential falls. RESULTS: Of the 566 persons admitted to the SIU, 132 (23%) participants experienced 207 falls over the 5 years. Of the fallers, 41 (31%) were recurrent fallers experiencing between 2 and 7 falls and 78 (59%) experienced a consequential fall. No significant variables were identified for recurrent fallers. For consequential falls, older age (OR = 1.038, 95% CI, 1.012 to 1.064, p = 0.004) and female gender (OR = 3.581, 95% CI, 1.269 to 10.103, p = 0.016) were significant, as well as falls that occurred on a Sunday (OR = 0.196, 95% CI, 0.061 to 0.630, p = 0.006). Falls while transferring were less likely to be consequential (OR = 4.100, 95% CI, 1.706 to 9.856, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly one quarter of SIU inpatients experienced a fall with almost a third of those who fell experiencing recurrent falls. Older age, female gender, and Sundays were risk factors for falls with consequence.