Evaluation of the Risk of Falls in the Patients Hospitalized in A Urology Inpatient Clinic

Abstract

Falls are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in hospitalized patients. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the risk of falls in the patients hospitalized in a urology clinic. Materials and Methods:The study included patients that were hospitalized in a urology clinic between November and December 2018. All the patients were administered both Itaki Fall Risk scale (IFS) and Morse Fall scale (MFS). Demographic and clinical characteristics, history of falls within the past six months, type of surgery, primary diagnosis (urooncological vs non-urooncological), and the department/unit from which the patients were referred [outpatient clinic vs emergency service/intensive care unit (ICU)] were recorded. Results: The risk of falls was significantly higher in the patients with urooncological diseases compared to the patients with non-urooncological diseases (p<0.001) and in the patients referred from emergency service/ICU compared to the patients referred from outpatient clinics (p<0.001). Moreover, the patients with a history of falls within the past six months were found to be at higher risk of falls compared to the patients with no history of falls both on IFS and MFS (p=0.002, p=0.01, respectively). Conclusion: Hospitalized patients should be closely followed due to the risk of falls, particularly the cancer patients and the patients referred from the emergency service or ICU.