Development of the Balance Recovery Falls-Efficacy Scale for the Community-dwelling Older Adults

NCT04087551 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: REP 01972019129
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 80
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The first phase of the study aims to study the incidence of near-falls. The second phase will be to develop a scale which operationalize balance recovery confidence in the older adults. This study will determine the incidence of near-falls in a sample of community-dwelling older adults and will develop the Balance Recovery Falls-Efficacy scale (BRFES) for the community-dwelling older adults using the COSMIN method. This scale will be used to measure the confidence level of the community-dwelling older adults in their ability to execute balance recovery maneuvers in common, everyday functional activities to prevent a fall.

Conditions

Accidental Fall; Aging; Self Efficacy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Incidence of near-falls

  To determine the incidence of near-falls

  6 months

• Development of the Balance Recovery Falls-Efficacy Scale (BRFES)

  To develop and validate the Balance Recovery Falls-Efficacy Scale (BRFES). The construct measured is the confidence in one's ability to execute balance recovery manoeuvres in common, everyday functional activities to prevent a fall. The scale response option ranged from 1 to 10 with a higher score reflecting higher confidence. The scale would have 16 items indicating a total score range of 16 to 160. A higher total score value represent a better outcome.

  9 months

Study Arms (1)

Developing the list of items for BRFES

EXPERIMENTAL

Two groups of six community-dwelling older adults will participate in a focus group session. Each focus group session will begin with a trained facilitator using a session guide welcoming the participants and introducing the participants in the group. The session will adopt a nominal group method which includes silent generation of ideas, sharing of an idea in a 'round robin' fashion, group discussion to clarify ideas and then completing the session with anonymous voting to include items into a list of items to be included in the Balance Recovery Falls-Efficacy Scale (BRFES).

Other: Developing the list of items for BRFES

Interventions

Developing the list of items for BRFES OTHER

The finalized list of items will be discussed by two researchers who will combine similar items generated by the two focus groups to complete the Balance Recovery Falls-Efficacy Scale. The list of items has been developed by a group of community-dwelling older adults who had demonstrated an understanding of near-falls and will be able to articulate the use of balance recovery strategies used in near-fall experiences.

Developing the list of items for BRFES

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• year-old and above
• Ability to read, write and communicate in English
• History of at least one near-fall or one fall within the last 12 months
• Living independently in the community with or without the use of a walking aid
• Not having any cognitive dysfunction by achieving a score of 7 or less in the 6-item cognitive impairment test (6CIT)
• Able to walk 6 meters within 12 seconds by performing the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test
• Able to catch a 30cm ruler by each hands using the ruler drop test

You may not qualify if:

• Requiring any physical assistance from another person to walk within home
• Known active malignant conditions
• Cardiovascular conditions e.g. neurally mediated syncope, cardiac syncope, structural heart diseases e.g. aortic stenosis or hospitalization for myocardial infarction or heart surgery within 3 months
• Pulmonary conditions e.g. serious chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or oxygen dependence
• Musculoskeletal conditions e.g. moderate to severe osteoarthritis that could affect balance control and muscle function e.g. self-reported pain or dysfunction of the trunk and extremities, fractures or injuries in the extremities in the last 6 months
• Neurological conditions such as Parkinson's Disease, sequelae of stroke, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Multiple Sclerosis (MS) or severe Dementia or epilepsy
• Legal blindness, severe visual impairment, severe hearing impairment or legal deafness

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Queen Margaret University: lead
• Singapore Institute of Technology: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Singapore Institute of Technology

Singapore, 138683, Singapore

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Soh SL, Tan CW, Lane J, Yeh TT, Soon B. Near-falls in Singapore community-dwelling older adults: a feasibility study. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2021 Jan 12;7(1):25. doi: 10.1186/s40814-020-00748-1.

  PMID: 33436025 DERIVED

Study Officials

• Shawn Soh

  Singapore Institute of Technology

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: Phase 1 Participants will be requested to report the incidence of no fall, near-fall or a fall daily over the next 21-day period. There will be 3 options given to the participants: (1) a daily telephone call at a prearranged timing or (2) a daily text message given at a prearranged timing or both. A study administrator will contact the participant daily using the preferred mode of reporting. All information will be recorded in a logbook. Phase 2 The development of the Balance Recovery Falls-Efficacy scale will be guided using the COSMIN methodology. This development is based on inputs from the community-dwelling older adults to ensure relevance, comprehensiveness and comprehensibility. The scale would then be validated with a group of healthcare professionals and another new group of community-dwelling older adults using the Delphi method.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 11, 2019
• First Posted: September 12, 2019
• Study Start: September 11, 2019
• Primary Completion: September 15, 2020
• Study Completion: September 15, 2020
• Last Updated: September 16, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-09

Locations

SG (1)