• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.34-43
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide basic data to develop a Fall Prevention Education Program by comparing and analyzing fall experiences and the factors that influence elderly people with dementia suffering falls. Methods: The participants were 302 patients with dementia aged 60 years or older with nursing records of hospitalization in three nursing homes located in a metropolitan area. The SPSS/Win 21.0 package was used to analyze the collected data. A logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the influence factors related to fall experiences. Results: For men, fall experiences were more frequent given the following factors: overweight; high fall risk tendency; aged 90 and above; married; dementia duration period of 5 to 9 years; and taking medication for dementia. For women, the factors included age range of 80 to 89; overweight; obese; both low and high fall risk tendency; separation by death; and having spent less than 1 year in nursing homes. Conclusion: We anticipate positive results in fall prevention education programs for the elderly with dementia if the results of this study are used as basic data, and interventions are customized to consider the sex and the relevant influence factors as to fall experiences.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2023

Construction industry is considered as one of the most high-risk industries for work-related injuries and fatalities, accounting for more than half of fatalities in Korea. Advanced countries have recognized the critical role of designers in preventing construction accidents and have established regulations on design for safety. In line with this, the Korean government have also implemented regulations that require owners and designers to review the safety of design outcomes. However, it has been observed that designers face challenges in identifying hazards and integrating design solutions at the design stage mainly due to their shortage of required knowledge and skills. This study aimed to examine design solutions that can be applied to prevent fall accidents in the construction industry, and to establish a relationship between these solutions and fatal fall accidents occurred over the past three years in Korea. This study also analyzed the relationships of four variables (construction type, cost, work type, and fall location) with design solutions. The results indicated that all four variables have significant relationships with design solutions, with fall location showing the strongest relationship. The design solutions and their relationships with fatal fall accidents identified in this study can be utilized in identifying hazard and integrating design solutions to ensure design for safety.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.84-91
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• 2021

Background: A hip fracture may occur spontaneously prior to the hip impact, due to the muscle pulling force exceeding the strength of the femur. Objects: We conducted falling experiments with humans to measure the activity of the hip muscles, and to examine how this was affected by the fall type. Methods: Eighteen individuals fell and landed sideways on a mat, by mimicking video-captured real-life older adults' falls. Falling trials were acquired with three fall directions: forward, backward, or sideways, and with three knee positions at the time of hip impact, where the landing side knee was free of constraint, or contacted the mat or the contralateral knee. During falls, the activities of the iliopsoas (Ilio), gluteus medius (Gmed), gluteus maximus (Gmax) and adductor longus (ADDL) muscles were recorded. Outcome variables included the time to onset, activity at the time of hip impact, and timing of the peak activity with respect to the time of hip impact. Results: For Ilio, Gmed, Gmax, and ADDL, respectively, EMG onset averaged 292, 304, 350, and 248 ms after fall initiation. Timing of the peak activity averaged 106, 96, 84, and 180 ms prior to the hip impact, and activity at the time of hip impact averaged 72.3, 45.2, 64.3, and 63.4% of the peak activity. Furthermore, the outcome variables were associated with fall direction and/or knee position in all but the iliopsoas muscle. Conclusion: Our results provide insights on the hip muscle activation during a fall, which may help to understand the potential injury mechanism of the spontaneous hip fracture.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.259-273
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• 2009

Purpose: This research was conducted to determine the effects of a multifactorial fall prevention program applying HSEP(Home Support Exercise Program) on physical balance and gait, leg strength, fear of falling and falls efficacy of the community-dwelling elderly. Method: The design of this study was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. There were 20 subjects in the experimental group and 21 in the control group. The fall prevention program consists of HSEP and fall related education. The intervention was performed for once a week in the senior citizen center and twice a week at home for 8 weeks. Results: There were significant differences in physical balance and gait, leg strength(hip extensor, hip flexor, knee flexor, ankle plantarflexor, ankle dorsiflexor) and falls efficacy between the experimental group and control group. Conclusion : The fall prevention program applying HSEP used in this study was very effective in increasing physical balance and gait, leg strength and falls efficacy. Finally this study would recommended that a fall prevention program applying HSEP should be extended to community facilities such as elderly welfare center and nursing home.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.157-167
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• 2003

Falls are a leading cause of injury, disability and death among people older than 65. Even without injury, falls cause a loss of confidence that results in reduced physical activity, increased dependency and social withdrawal. Fall prevention in the eldery people is a multifaced task that includes both the identification of risk factors and their modification strategies. Fall risk factors have been identified as both intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic factors are those related to the physical and cognitive function of the person. Extrinsic factors are those which are included in the environmental hazards of everyday life. Combinations of interventions aimed at modifying both intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors can result in significant fall prevention in the geriatric population. This article selectively reviews the literature reporting exercise intervention to improve strength, balance and mobility.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.19 no.3 s.67
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• pp.84-88
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• 2004

Accident of small and medium-sized construction sites happens much than large-sized construction sites. The safety consulting for accident prevention of construction sites has been launched in 1995. This research probed latency accident of small and medium-sized construction sites. By method, we used that result data of safety consulting for accident prevention of small and medium-sized construction sites. As a result a fall was examined by the most latency accident factor. In this study, a fall and electric shock, descent, fall down in ground, a fire was examined weighty accident factor of small and medium-sized construction sites.

• 한국노년학
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.237-250
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of exercise program for prevention of falling on physical fitness, posture and fall prevention self-efficacy for elderly women. 30 females above the age of 65 were subjects for this study. Over an twelve week period, 14women in the experimental group performed exercise 2 times a week for 60 minutes per session. 16women in the control group didn't participate in the exercise program. The independent variable was a exercise program for prevention of falling. Dependent variables were physical fitness, posture and fall prevention self-efficacy. Prevention of falling exercise program is consisted of an elastic band using exercise and Korean dance movement exercise. Physical fitness consisted of grip strength, upper and lower body endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, balance, coordination. The posture was measured the static posture when standing, using a high-resolution camera, body style to automatically measure the distance and angle(M-zen, Korea). Posture was measured in both the coronal and sagittal plane via reference board. Fall prevention self-efficacy was measured via questionnaire using the Korea Falls Self-Efficacy Scale (FES-K). The physical fitness, posture and fall prevention self-efficacy were measured twice with pre and post exercise, and the difference between groups with Wilcox signed rank test, and the group-specific post verification was carried out with U-validated methods (Mann Whitney U test). Statistical significance level was verified by setting the p<.05. Lower body endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, balance and coordination significantly increased in the experimental group. The control group was no significant increase in physical fitness variables. shoulder slope angle, pelvic slope angle(coronal/sagittal), leg length difference, scapular inferior angle and left/right calcaneus angle significantly decreased in the experimental group. Both the experimental group and control group were no significant increase in fall prevention self efficacy. The prevention of falling exercise program for elderly women indicated the positive changes in physical fitness(except grip strength) and posture(except upper body slope). However, there are no significant differences of falling prevention self-efficacy between the both group. Thus, the prevention of falling exercise program for the elderly has been proved that it is highly efficient on improving physical fitness and posture proofreading. However, we still need to consider supplement exercise for grip strength and upper body slope.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.209-218
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was conducted among older women to (1) identify their levels of knowledge, self-efficacy, and health behavior in dealing with osteoporosis and falls and (2) explore the relationships between the study variables based on a health-beliefs model. Methods: With a cross-sectional survey design, we recruited 94 older women of ages from 65 to 74 at a community setting via convenience sampling. The study participants completed two sets of structured questionnaires (on osteoporosis and fall prevention). Results: The general characteristics of the study participants demonstrated that the women were at high risk for osteoporosis and falls. Overall, the levels of knowledge about osteoporosis and falls, their self-efficacy, and their preventive behaviors were average or slightly above. The relationships between the study variables showed that self-efficacy and healthy behavior, such as doing osteoporosis exercise, eating an osteoporosis diet, and avoiding falls, were related (r=38, p<.001; r=.33, p<.05; r=.26, p<.05). In addition, there were statistically significant relationships between osteoporosis and fall prevention knowledge (r=.37~.46, p<.001), self-efficacy (r=.50~.53, p<.001), and preventive behaviors (r=.50, p<.001). Conclusion: The women's scores on osteoporosis and fall knowledge, self-efficacy, and preventive behaviors suggest an urgent need for the implementation of educational programs for older women. A close relationship between self-efficacy and health behaviors implies a need for transformation of a traditional one-way lecture form.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.29-37
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics and factors affecting falls among elderly inpatients with chronic diseases based on the data from the discharge damage depth survey of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA) from 2014 to 2018. Method: The study selected elderly inpatients aged over 65 who were hospitalized(n=1,173). Their data were analyzed after being assigned to either a fall group(KSCD, W00-W19) or a non-fall group. Frequency analysis, cross-tabulation analysis, and binary logistic regression analysis were conducted, using SPSS 28. Results: According to the analysis on category of fall and non-fall group were statistically significant difference in age and having chronic diseases. Based on the binary logistic regression analysis of factors affecting falls, The risk of falls was 1.058 times higher with age, and E11-E14 and I63 as main diagnostic codes, the risk of falls was 2.049 times and 2.437 times higher. Conclusion: It is necessary to develop customized educational manuals and muscle exercise programs considering the characteristics of chronic diseases and to create a safe hospital room environment, and this result is expected to be used as basic data for fall prevention education and manual development for elderly inpatients with chronic diseases.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.264-274
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was done to determine inpatient fall rates in an acute hospital setting and to explore risk factors and characteristics across clinical departments. Methods: The medical records and standardized fall reports of 416 patients admitted between January 1 and December 31, 2012 were reviewed. Descriptive statistics and statistical tests were used, including: t-test, ${\chi}^2$-test, ANOVA. Results: The total fall rate per 1,000 inpatient days was 0.49. Fall rate, fall risk factors and characteristics such as age, type of fallers and mean MFS (Morse Fall Scale) differed significantly among clinical departments. Conclusions: The analysis results show that the fall rates, fall risk factors and characteristics of acute hospital inpatient falls varied significantly across clinical departments. The findings of this study suggest that hospitals should consider differences in fall related characteristics across clinical departments when implementation fall prevention strategies and interventions.