Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
Division of Prosthetics and Orthotics, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2022 Jul 28;17(7):e0272082. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272082. eCollection 2022.
Despite their importance to fall prevention research, little is known about the details of real-world fall events experienced by lower limb prosthesis users. This gap can be attributed to the lack of a structured, population-specific fall survey to document these adverse health events. The objective of this project was to develop a survey capable of characterizing the circumstances and consequences of fall events in lower limb prosthesis users. Best practices in survey development, including focus groups and cognitive interviews with diverse samples of lower limb prosthesis users, were used to solicit input and feedback from target respondents, so survey content would be meaningful, clear, and applicable to lower limb prosthesis users. Focus group data were used to develop fall event definitions and construct a conceptual fall framework that guided the creation of potential survey questions and response options. Survey questions focused on the activity, surroundings, situation, mechanics, and consequences of fall events. Cognitive interviews revealed that with minor revisions, survey definitions, questions, and response options were clear, comprehensive, and applicable to the experiences of lower limb prosthesis users. Administration of the fall survey to a national sample of 235 lower limb prosthesis users in a cross-sectional preliminary validation study, found survey questions to function as intended. Revisions to the survey were made at each stage of development based on analysis of participant feedback and data. The structured, 37-question lower limb prosthesis user fall event survey developed in this study offers clinicians and researchers the means to document, monitor, and compare fall details that are meaningful and relevant to lower limb prosthesis users in a standardized and consistent manner. Data that can be collected with the developed survey are essential to establishing specific goals for fall prevention initiatives in lower limb prosthesis users.
尽管下肢假体使用者的跌倒事件对跌倒预防研究很重要，但人们对这些实际跌倒事件的细节知之甚少。造成这种差距的原因是缺乏一种结构化的、针对特定人群的跌倒调查，无法记录这些不良健康事件。本项目的目的是开发一种能够描述下肢假体使用者跌倒事件情况和后果的调查工具。在调查开发过程中采用了最佳实践，包括对不同样本的下肢假体使用者进行焦点小组讨论和认知访谈，以从目标受访者那里获得投入和反馈，从而使调查内容具有意义、清晰，并适用于下肢假体使用者。焦点小组数据用于确定跌倒事件的定义，并构建一个概念性的跌倒框架，指导潜在调查问题和响应选项的创建。调查问题侧重于跌倒事件的活动、周围环境、情况、力学和后果。认知访谈表明，经过轻微修订，调查定义、问题和响应选项清晰、全面，适用于下肢假体使用者的体验。在一项横断面初步验证研究中，向全国范围内的 235 名下肢假体使用者发放了该跌倒调查，发现调查问题按预期运行。根据参与者反馈和数据分析，在每个开发阶段都对调查进行了修订。本研究开发的结构化、37 个问题的下肢假体使用者跌倒事件调查为临床医生和研究人员提供了一种手段，以标准化和一致的方式记录、监测和比较对下肢假体使用者有意义且相关的跌倒细节。通过开发的调查可以收集到的数据对于为下肢假体使用者的跌倒预防计划制定具体目标至关重要。
