Authors (including presenting author) :
LEE WYIA(1), Cheung SY(1), Sze YMS(1), Chan WM(1), Ho YSC(1), Yuen MYK(1), Tsang KW(1), Lam CM(1), Cheung CLE(1), Chan SF(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Medical & Geriatric department, Shatin Hospital
Introduction :
According to the National Health Service in UK (2021), around 1/3 adults aged over 65 and half of people aged over 80 will have at least one fall a year. Hip fracture is the most common type of fracture after fall among elderly (Terroso, Rosa, Marques & Simoes, 2014). Furthermore, hip fracture has been associated with significant morbidity and mortality; studies showed that over 20% of elderly with hip fracture after episode of fall may die within a year (Holvik et al., 2023). Although falls among elderly cannot be entirely prevented, applying hip protectors is effective in the prevention of hip fractures in Geriatric wards (de Bot et al., 2020).
In the M&G department of Shatin Hospital, some traditional hip protector with soft pads and pant are provided to eligible patients with fall risk. However, the compliance rate of it was not satisfactory with only 50% among fall patient in our department in 2022. Patients refused to use it due to discomfort and inconvenience. In view of this, it is important to introduce some comfortable and user-friendly hip protectors to patients. Hip protectors with polyurethane foam pad and silicon based-adhesive film can be the alternative method of the traditional one.
Objectives :
1. To promote the compliance of geriatric patients on using hip protector
2. To enhance the patient’s perspective and acceptance of hip protector
3. To prevent the injury rate (hip fracture) of fall
Methodology :
The project was implemented from December 2023 to March 2024 in 21 Geriatric wards of 5 hospitals in New Territories East Cluster.
The adhesive hip protector was applied directly to patient’s hip if they had fall risk and Modified functional ambulatory category (MFAC) with category 3 or above, and it was priority to patients with high fracture risk such as patient aged over 80 or with bone metastasis. In order to ensure the skin integrity of patients, skin check would be preformed at the next day of application and every three days afterwards. New pair of adhesive films was changed every 10 days.
Result & Outcome :
Total 840 patients were recruited in the project. The compliance rate was nearly 70% and less than 7% of patients had skin abnormality such as discomfort after applying the adhesive hip protectors. No hip fracture caused by fall during hospitalization noted within the implementation period.
