Paper
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The Compliance of Hip Protectors and Decrease Physical Restricts for the Dementia Older Residents in Taiwan
Hui-Chi Huang, DNSc, Nursing Department and Institute of LOng Term Care, National Taipei College of Nursing, Taipei, Taiwan
| Learning Objective #1: This research explores the compliance of dementia older residents in Taiwan with wearing hip protectors. |
| Learning Objective #2: This research explores whether protectors can prevent fractures after falls or decrease physical restricts. |
This research was designed as a two blind longitudinal study using random sampling and intervention for 24 months. The target population was older residents with dementia diagnosis and was excluded from the research sample if they were 24-hour bedridden, non-mobile or had an existing hip injury. Two blind self-reported data were collected by interview and questionnaires. The expert validity of the questionnaires, including demographics, restricts, compliance and correct wearing of hip protectors and fall injuries, as assessed by three experts, was 0.94 and the test–retest correlation coefficient was 0.95. Fifty two subjects participated in experimental group 46 in control group. Their mean age was 76.1 years. During an 24 months follow-up, 90% and 95% participants were restricts in experiential and control groups, respectively, but there were significantly decreased 20% restrict use in experimental group after wearing hip protectors. There were significantly difference between 30 falls and 4 falls in experimental and control groups, respectively, and 2 fractures but no hip fracture occurred in experimental group. The compliance was more decreased by more increased the period time of wearing. The reasons for gradually lower compliance by time were (1) unaccustomed to use, (2) participants took out for playing, (3) wearing only during the daytime, and (4) lack of assistance from caregivers. Fall prevention, exercise and the use of hip protectors can significantly decrease the incidence of hip fractures. Although hip protectors are effective in reducing fall fracture risk, the compliance rate remains low. In the future, the researchers will develop a hip protector program related to teaching the correct method for wearing protectors. Helping older people learn how to overcome the unaccustomed of wearing hip protectors and encouraging a willingness to wear them is imperative.