Streamlining assessment and intervention in a falls clinic using the Timed Up and Go Test and Physiological Profile Assessments

Background: the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) has been recommended as a simple screening tool to identify those at risk of falling. However, subsequent detailed assessment is required to identify underlying falls risk factors to provide direction for optimal targeted intervention strategies. Methods:...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Age and ageing 2005-11, Vol.34 (6), p.567-571
Main Authors: Whitney, Julie C., Lord, Stephen R., Close, Jacqueline C. T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accidental Falls
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Ambulatory Care Facilities
Cognition & reasoning
Cognition Disorders - complications
Cognitive balance
cognitive impairment
Elderly
Equilibrium (Physiology)
Falls
Falls (Accidents)
falls risk
Female
Geriatric Assessment - methods
Health aspects
Humans
Male
Mass Screening - methods
Mass Screening - standards
Medical screening
Middle Aged
Mobility
Older people
Regression analysis
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Background: the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) has been recommended as a simple screening tool to identify those at risk of falling. However, subsequent detailed assessment is required to identify underlying falls risk factors to provide direction for optimal targeted intervention strategies. Methods: 110 consecutive falls clinic patients underwent the TUGT, the Abbreviated Mental Test and the Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA), a validated tool for quantifying risk of falling based on a combination of physiological measures—contrast sensitivity, knee extension strength, proprioception, reaction time and postural sway. Regression analysis was used to determine how well the TUGT and presence of cognitive impairment could identify patients at high risk of falls as defined by the PPA. Results: TUGT and cognitive status were found to be independent and significant predictors of PPA scores. These variables accounted for 21% of the variance in PPA scores (multiple R = 0.47, P
ISSN:0002-0729
1468-2834
DOI:10.1093/ageing/afi178