Development of a mobile application to screen and manage fall risks in older people

Zahra Taheri-Kharameh; Agneta Malmgren Fänge; Eva Ekvall Hansson; Saeed Bashirian; Rashid Heidarimoghadam; Jalal Poorolajal; Majid Barati

doi:10.1080/17483107.2020.1785562

Development of a mobile application to screen and manage fall risks in older people

Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2022 Apr;17(3):362-367. doi: 10.1080/17483107.2020.1785562. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Authors

Zahra Taheri-Kharameh¹, Agneta Malmgren Fänge², Eva Ekvall Hansson², Saeed Bashirian³, Rashid Heidarimoghadam⁴, Jalal Poorolajal⁵, Majid Barati³

Affiliations

¹ Spiritual Health Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
² Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
³ Department of Public Health, School of Health, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
⁴ Department of Ergonomics, School of Health, Research Center for Health Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
⁵ Research Center for Health Sciences, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.

PMID: 32608287
DOI: 10.1080/17483107.2020.1785562

Abstract

Objective: Falls and related injuries are known to be the major health problem leading to disability and mortality among older adults. Identification and management of fall risks aimed to prevent falling is considered to be essential. The aim of this study was to develop a mobile application for screening and management of fall risks based for older adults.

Method and materials: First, we determined product features based on literature reviews. Then we asked 10 experts to assess the importance of capabilities. The application was designed in Android environment based on the STEADI toolkit. Finally, the usability and satisfaction of the application were assessed among 30 older adults by means of a usability questionnaire, and the final version was modified.

Results: The experts rated the majority of feasibility features to be important. The application consisted of falls risk self-assessment, and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test to measure individual fall risks, fall prevention education, and suggestions for training based on the individuals' level of fall risk among older adults. The results of the usability assessment showed that the users were satisfied with the application, 8.83 out of 10.

Conclusion: The mobile application can be used to screen and manage fall risks in older adults. It may help health providers to identify older adults at low, moderate, and high risks of falls provide education and training to minimise falls and fall-related injuries.Implications for rehabilitationFalls are a major health problem in older people. A great proportion of falls and falls related injuries are preventable.Given the availability and accessibility of various mobile health application and the increasing mobile device usage among older adults, mobile application can be used as a platform for delivering fall prevention programmes such as education and exercise training.The mobile application may be a valuable tool in the fall prevention and their consequences either in old adult.

Keywords: E-health; Fall risk; aging; prevention; screening.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Accidental Falls / prevention & control
Aged
Exercise
Humans
Mobile Applications*
Surveys and Questionnaires
User-Computer Interface