Engaging wheelchair and scooter users in the co-design of an mHealth application for fall prevention and management: thematic analysis of focus group research.

This study aimed to explore the potential of a mobile health (mHealth) application (app) to support the delivery of a fall prevention and management program, Individualized Reduction of FaLLs (iROLL), for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and multiple sclerosis (MS) who use wheelchairs and scooters (WC/S) full-time by seeking end-users' input into the functioning and ongoing design of the iROLL-O + mobile app. Two focus group discussions included nine adults with SCI or MS who used a WC/S for at least 75% of mobility, who experienced at least one fall in the past three years and have internet and access to an internet-capable device. One group had prior iROLL experience ( = 4); while the other had none ( = 5).

Translation, extension, and evaluation of usability, usefulness, and safety of a fall prevention and management program for people living with spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis who use wheelchairs or scooters full time.

Background: Falls are prevalent among people living with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) and Spinal Cord Injury (PwSCI) who use wheelchairs or scooters (WC/S) full time, however, there is a scarcity of evidence-based fall prevention and management programs.

Objective: To describe the systematic translation of an in-person fall prevention and management program (Individualized Reduction Of FaLLs - iROLL) for PwMS to an online platform, extending its scope to include PwSCI, and to evaluate the preliminary useability, usefulness, and safety of the intervention.

Methods: iROLL was systematically translated to an online platform (iROLL-O).

mHealth learning strategies to support behaviour change in individuals using wheelchairs and/or scooters: a systematic review.

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review of the literature is to build understanding of the key elements and recommendations for the design of mHealth technology for individuals using wheelchairs and/or scooters and identify key features associated with the use of mHealth to support healthy behaviour changes for this population.

Materials And Methods: Eight major electronic databases were systematically searched to identify mobile health (mHealth) interventions, which targeted adult WC/S users. Independent reviewers used Endnote and Covidence to manage articles meeting review criteria and to exclude duplicates.

Development, reliability, and validity assessment of a fall concerns scale for people who use wheelchairs and scooters (FCS-WC/S).

Purpose: To evaluate the psychometric properties of a Fall Concerns Scale for people who use Wheelchairs and Scooters (FCS-WC/S).

Materials And Methods: Developed by fall prevention experts, FCS-WC/S underwent refinement through interdisciplinary reviews and focus groups with researchers, clinicians, and individuals who use WC/S full-time. The psychometric evaluation involved adults who used WC/S for ≥1 year and had ≥1 fall in the previous 3 years, recruited between April and September 2022.

Factors associated with fear of falling and fall-related injuries among people who use wheelchairs and motorized mobility scooters: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: To identify the factors associated with the fear of falling (FOF) and fall-related injuries (FRI) among full-time wheelchair and motorized mobility scooter (WC/S) users with various health conditions.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included participants (≥18 years old) who used WC/S for at least one year for ≥ 75% of mobility and had a history of ≥ 1 fall in the past three years. Logistic regression models identified factors associated with FOF (yes/no) and FRI (yes/no) during the past year.

Reducing fall injuries with better data.

Background: Fall deaths in the USA almost tripled in the twenty-first century. While various interventions have been effective in reducing fall deaths, they have failed to make a substantial impact at a population level.

Main Body: An overarching factor that has been relatively neglected in fall injury prevention is the need for more and better data.

Process evaluation findings of a fall prevention and management program for wheelchair and scooter users with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To describe process evaluation findings of a clinical trial to evaluate the (iROLL) program, a 6-session, group-based intervention designed to reduce fall incidence among people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) who use a wheelchair or scooter full-time.

Methods: A mixed-methods process evaluation focusing on implementation and mechanisms of impact (MOI) was conducted. Both iROLL participants and trainers (licensed occupational or physical therapists) provided input.

Characteristics and consequences of falls among people with multiple sclerosis who use wheelchairs or scooters: Differences between injurious and non-injurious falls.

Background: Falls are common among people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) who use wheelchairs or scooters. Falls may lead to severe consequences including physical injuries. However, very little is known about the circumstances associated with injurious falls in this population.

Online Delivery of the Individualized Reduction of Falls Intervention for Persons With Multiple Sclerosis Who Use a Wheelchair or Scooter Full-time: A Pilot Study.

Background: People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who use a wheelchair or scooter full-time fall frequently; however, fall prevention programming that meets the unique needs of this population is limited. This study examined the preliminary efficacy of a group-based online fall prevention and management intervention designed specifically for people with MS.

Methods: This pre/post intervention, mixed-methods study included people with MS who used a wheelchair or scooter full-time, experienced at least 1 fall within the past year, and transferred independently or with minimal or moderate assistance.

Developing online fall prevention program: Older adult recommendations.

Falls are a critical public health problem for older adults making expanded access of evidence-based fall prevention programs to this population a priority. Online delivery could improve the reach of these needed programs, however associated benefits and challenges remain poorly explored. This focus group study was undertaken to gather older adults' perceptions regarding the transition of face-to-face fall prevention programs to online formats.

A process evaluation of an on-line fall prevention and management program for individuals who use wheelchairs or scooters living with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Falls and resulting injury are a significant concern for individuals living with multiple sclerosis (MS) that use a wheelchair and/or scooter to support mobility. Effective fall prevention efforts are vital to support the health, wellbeing, and participation for these individuals.

Aims: This study reports the findings from the process evaluation conducted in association with a pilot study evaluating the efficacy of Individualized Reduction of FaLLs-Online (iROLL-O), an online, group fall prevention, and management program specifically designed for community-based people living with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) who are full-time wheelchair or scooter users.

Pilot Study of a Fall Prevention and Management Intervention Program for People With Multiple Sclerosis Who Use a Wheelchair or Scooter Full-Time.

Objective: To examine the efficacy of a fall prevention/management intervention among persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) who use a wheelchair (WC) or scooter full-time.

Design: Pre-post/follow-up trial.

Setting: Community and research laboratory.

Prediction of future falls among full-time wheelchair and scooter users with multiple sclerosis: A prospective study.

Background: Seventy-five percent (75%) of full-time wheelchair or scooter users with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience at least one fall in a period of 6 months. Falls are detrimental for the independence, quality of life, and community participation. No previous prospective study has evaluated fall risk factors in this segment of MS community.

Fear of Falling, Community Participation, and Quality of Life Among Community-Dwelling People Who Use Wheelchairs Full Time.

Objectives: To examine the differences in community participation and quality of life (QOL) among individuals who use wheelchairs full time with and without fear of falling (FOF).

Design: Cross-sectional study design.

Setting: University research laboratory.

Lower-Limb Factors Associated with Balance and Falls in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Clinical Synthesis.

Background: Despite sufficient evidence to suggest that lower-limb-related factors may contribute to fall risk in older adults, lower-limb and footwear influences on fall risk have not been systematically summarized for readers and clinicians. The purpose of this study was to systematically review and synethesize the literature related to lower-limb, foot, and footwear factors that may increase the risk of falling among community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and AgeLine.

Validation of an individualized reduction of falls intervention program among wheelchair and scooter users with multiple sclerosis.

Introduction: Falls are a serious concern for wheelchair and scooter users with multiple sclerosis (MS). Approximately, 75% of the population reports at least one fall in a 6-month period and nearly half report frequent falls. Falls can result in physical injuries and contribute to activity curtailment.

Falls among full-time wheelchair users with spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis: a comparison of characteristics of fallers and circumstances of falls.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to (1) explore and (2) compare circumstances of falls among full-time wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI) and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: A mixed method approach was used to explore and compare the circumstances of falls of 41 full-time wheelchair users with SCI (n = 23) and MS (n = 18). In addition to collecting participants' demographic information (age, gender, type of wheelchair used, duration of wheelchair use, and duration of disability), self-reported fall frequency in the past 6 months, self-reported restriction in activity due to fear of falling and the Spinal Cord Injury-Fall Concerns Scale (SCI-FCS) was collected.

Older adult falls prevention behaviors 60 days post-discharge from an urban emergency department after treatment for a fall.

Background: Falls are a common and debilitating health problem for older adults. Older adults are often treated and discharged home by emergency department (ED)-based providers with the hope they will receive falls prevention resources and referrals from their primary care provider. This descriptive study investigated falls prevention activities, including interactions with primary care providers, among community-dwelling older adults who were discharged home after presenting to an ED with a fall-related injury.

Frequency of and Factors Associated with a Proxy for Critical Falls Among People Aging with Multiple Sclerosis: An Exploratory Study.

Background: Critical falls, defined in the literature as involving an inability to get up after the fall, have been associated with morbidity and mortality in older adults but have not been examined in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). To highlight the importance of the critical fall concept in MS, this exploratory study sought to identify the frequency of and factors associated with a proxy for critical falls in people with MS.

Methods: Of 354 adults with MS 55 years and older interviewed, 327 reported a story about their most recent fall that included information about fall-related experiences, including whether they received help to get up after a fall.

A statewide baseline inventory of evidence-based fall prevention programs for older adults.

Background: The Massachusetts (MA) Department of Public Health engaged the Injury Prevention Center at Boston Medical Center to develop a statewide baseline (2012) inventory of evidence-based (EB) community falls prevention programs for community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: A web-based survey of organizations (n = 825) serving older adults was deployed in two parts. The Directors' survey determined if a falls prevention program had been offered in 2012, the salience (rating of importance) of falls prevention for the organization, and intention to offer future falls prevention programming.

Savings in acute care costs if all older adults treated for fall-related injuries completed matter of balance.

Background: Falls among older adults are a common and serious public health problem. Evidence-based fall prevention programs delivered in community settings and targeting older adults living independently are increasingly deployed throughout the nation. These programs tend to be offered by public and private organizations that serve older adults, and recruitment usually occurs through direct marketing to the target population, rather than through referrals from healthcare providers.

Delayed initial recovery and long lie after a fall among middle-aged and older people with multiple sclerosis.

Objectives: To determine (1) the prevalence of lying on the floor or ground for ≥10 minutes (delayed initial recovery [IR]) and for >1 hour (long lie) after a fall; and (2) the factors associated with delayed IR among people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS).

Design: A secondary analysis of data available from a national, cross-sectional descriptive study of PwMS. Information regarding postfall experiences was extracted from open-ended questions about participants' most recent fall.

Fall risk and incidence reduction in high risk individuals with multiple sclerosis: a pilot randomized control trial.

Objective: To determine the feasibility of three fall prevention programs delivered over 12 weeks among individuals with multiple sclerosis: (A) a home-based exercise program targeting physiological risk factors; (B) an educational program targeting behavioral risk factors; and (C) a combined exercise-and-education program targeting both factors.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Home-based training with assessments at research laboratory.