1. Exploring Population Characteristics and Recruitment Challenges in Older People Experiencing Falls at Home without Hospitalization or with an Emergency Department Visit: Insights from the RISING-DOM Experience
- Author
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Bouzid W, Tavassoli N, Berbon C, Qassemi S, Vaysset S, Poly M, Bounes V, Shourick J, and Nourhashémi F
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fall prevention in community-living older adults ,emergency medical service ,descriptive analysis ,recruitment of older people for fall-related clinical trial. ,Geriatrics ,RC952-954.6 - Abstract
Wafa Bouzid,1,2 Neda Tavassoli,1 Caroline Berbon,1 Soraya Qassemi,1 Sandrine Vaysset,1 Magali Poly,1 Vincent Bounes,3 Jason Shourick,4,5 Fati Nourhashémi1,5 1Geriatric Medicine Unit (Gérontopole), University of Toulouse Hospital Center, Toulouse, France; 2Regional Health Agency of Occitanie, Toulouse, 31000, France; 3Emergency Medicine Unit, University of Toulouse Hospital Center, Toulouse, France; 4Research Methodology Support Unit (USMR), Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health Department, University of Toulouse Hospital Center, Toulouse, France; 5CERPOP, UMR 1295, INSERM – University of Toulouse III, Toulouse, FranceCorrespondence: Wafa Bouzid, La Cité de la Santé - Équipe Régionale Vieillissement et Prévention de la Dépendance Hôpital La Grave, Place Lange, TSA 60033, Toulouse Cedex 9, 31059, France, Tel +33 5 61 77 83 79, Fax +33 5 61 77 64 75, Email bouzid.w@chu-toulouse.frBackground: An increasing number of falls among community-living older adults are reported in emergency calls. Data on evidence of appropriate fall prevention interventions are limited and challenges in recruiting this population in randomized trials are acknowledged.Purpose: The main aim of this study was to provide demographic data, circumstance and fall-related outcomes of the population in the RISING-DOM study [Impact d’une évaluation des facteurs de RISque de chute et d’une prise en charge personnalisée, sur la mortalité et l’institutionnalisation, après INtervention du SAMU chez la personne âGée à DOMicile], a multicenter, randomized interventional trial involving community-dwelling older adults who have experienced a fall at home and were not hospitalized. Additionally, the challenges of remote recruitment in this population were discussed.Patients and Methods: Participants were identified through the Occitania Emergency Observatory database. Participant recruitment and data collection were performed through telephone interviews (October 2019-March 2022). Additionally, a sample survey of Emergency Medical Services calls was carried out.Results: Out of the 1151 individuals screened, a total of 951 participants were included in the trial follow-up, resulting in an acceptance rate of 82.62%. The screening delay was extended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recruiting difficulties were mainly related to identifying potential participants, unavailable contact information and unreachability. Participants’ mean age was 84.1 years, 65.8% were women, and 44.3% lived alone. Pain was the most frequent outcome (53%). In the previous year, 73.5% of participants reported experiencing a fall, with 66.7% of those falls requiring assistance from Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Nearly, 40% did not take proactive steps to prevent future falls and walking aids (79.8%) were the most common preventive action.Conclusion: Indicators of a high-risk group of falls have been identified underscoring the need for appropriate fall interventions in the target population. Challenges of large sampling for randomized fall prevention trials were provided.Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT04132544. Registration date: 18/10/2019. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04132544?term=rising-dom&draw=2&rank=1.Keywords: fall prevention in community-living older adults, Emergency Medical Service, descriptive analysis, recruitment of older people for fall-related clinical trial
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- 2023