Horton Khim
Centre for Research in Nursing and Midwifery Education, European Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK.
J Adv Nurs. 2007 Jan;57(1):69-76. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.04061.x.
This paper reports a grounded theory study of the influence of gender on older people's perceptions of their risk of falling and their actions to prevent future falls.
The incidence and rates of falls among older people, including injurious falls, are of much international concern. The risk of falling remains a major concern for older people since it increases with age, with those aged 85 years and over at greatest risk. However, research using a sociological approach to the topic is limited.
An exploratory design, with grounded theory analysis, was used. Data were collected during 2001 through in-depth interviews with a convenience sample of 40 older people living in south east of England.
Two core categories emerged: gendered meanings of risk and gendered responsibility. The social construction of the meaning of the risk of falling and of participants' actions was gendered. Older men and women had specific ways of talking about their 'risk' and identifying the risk factors for falling. Older men perceived themselves as 'responsible' and 'rational' individuals who expected to reduce their own risk of falling. Older women's expectations of themselves and of their peers explained their tendency to blame themselves or others for their falls. These perceptions influenced the actions they took to prevent future falls.
Nurses and other healthcare professionals need to take account of the gendered meanings attached to falling by older men and women when carrying out risk assessments and giving advice on fall prevention.
本文报告一项基于扎根理论的研究，探讨性别对老年人跌倒风险认知及其预防未来跌倒行为的影响。
老年人跌倒的发生率，包括致伤性跌倒，在国际上备受关注。跌倒风险仍然是老年人的主要担忧，因为它会随着年龄增长而增加，85岁及以上的老年人风险最高。然而，运用社会学方法研究该主题的相关研究有限。
采用探索性设计和扎根理论分析方法。2001年期间，通过对居住在英格兰东南部的40名老年人进行便利抽样深入访谈来收集数据。
出现了两个核心类别：风险的性别化意义和性别化责任。跌倒风险的意义以及参与者行为的社会建构具有性别特征。老年男性和女性谈论自身“风险”以及识别跌倒风险因素的方式各有特点。老年男性将自己视为“有责任感”和“理性”的个体，期望降低自身跌倒风险。老年女性对自己和同龄人所抱有的期望，解释了她们倾向于因跌倒而自责或责怪他人的现象。这些认知影响了他们为预防未来跌倒而采取的行动。
护士和其他医疗保健专业人员在进行风险评估和提供跌倒预防建议时，需要考虑老年男性和女性对跌倒所赋予的性别化意义。
