Older adults’ experiences of being screened for fall risk in a clinical setting: a focus group study

Key summary points Aim The aim of this study was to describe and explore older adults’ experiences of being screened for risk of an injurious fall, using the First-time Injurious Falls (FIF) screening tool. Findings The participants considered screening for fall risk to be meaningful insofar as it raises awareness of their own abilities and motivates them to take action to prevent falls. On the other hand, a low fall risk could create a false sense of security, and lack of control over environmental factors related to fall risk could negatively impact older adults’ sense of self-sufficiency. Message The results emphasize the need for continued support and assessment to older adults at high risk of injurious falls, and to actively involve patients in the planning of their care. Purpose There is a need for further research on older adults’ experiences of fall risk screening to improve health communication strategies. The purpose of this study was to describe and explore older adults’ experiences of being screened for risk of an injurious fall, using the first-time injurious falls (FIF) screening tool. Methods A qualitative study with five focus group interviews was carried out including 17 older adults (11 women and six men, with a mean age of 77.4 years) who were recruited from two primary healthcare rehabilitation clinics in Sweden. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results The analysis generated one overarching theme, “Screening for fall risk promotes engagement by raising older adults’ awareness of their own abilities”, and four categories; “Screening may motivate to take action but can also create a false sense of security”, “Self-sufficiency is affected by the screening result and level of control over the environment”, “Easy-to-perform and helps to facilitate a discussion with the healthcare professional” and “Ideas of how FIF tool could be used in healthcare”. Conclusion Older adults considered screening for fall risk to be meaningful insofar as it raises awareness of their own abilities and motivates them to prevent falls. On the other hand, a low fall risk could create a false sense of security, and lack of control over environmental factors related to fall risk could negatively impact their sense of self-sufficiency. They emphasized the need to receive support from healthcare providers and to be involved in care decisions if the screening indicates a high fall risk.