Risk of falls in patients in different hospital wards in light of physiotherapists’ opinions

Mateusz Curyło; Bernadeta F. Piwowar-Kuczyńska; Agnieszka Ciukszo; Michał Zabojszcz; Monika Urbaniak; Marcin Mikos

doi:10.5114/ms.2025.149280

eISSN: 2300-6722
ISSN: 1899-1874

Medical Studies/Studia Medyczne

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3/2025
vol. 41

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abstract:

Original paper

Risk of falls in patients in different hospital wards in light of physiotherapists’ opinions

Mateusz Curyło

^{1, 2}

,

Bernadeta F. Piwowar-Kuczyńska

³

,

Agnieszka Ciukszo

⁴

,

Michał Zabojszcz

⁵

,

Monika Urbaniak

⁶

,

Marcin Mikos

⁷

Department of Internal Medicine, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Poland
Medical Rehabilitation Department, The Ministry of the Interior and Administration Hospital, Krakow, Poland
Medical Centre VADIMED, Krakow, Poland
Department of Adapted Physical Activity and Sport, School of Health Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland
Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
Department of Medical and Pharmaceutical Law, Faculty of Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
Department of Bioinformatics and Public Health, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University, Krakow, Poland

Medical Studies 2025; 41 (3): 211–218

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/ms.2025.149280

Online publish date: 2025/04/07

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Introduction:
Among hospitalised patients, falls are the most frequently reported safety incident. Recurrent falls have various causes. Although they are unavoidable, 20–30% of falls are preventable.

Aim of the research:
The aim of the research was to get to know the opinion of physiotherapists about whether falls are a significant systemic problem in Poland, and to determine the risk of falls in hospital wards. Additionally, an attempt was made to assess the place in the hospital where patients most often fall.

Material and methods:
To conduct the study, an original survey questionnaire was prepared. It consisted of 11 questions and was published on Survio.com in May 2021. The study involved 155 physiotherapists: 97 (62.6%) women and 58 (37.4%) men. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the obtained results was performed using Microsoft Excel Office 365 and the IBM^® SPSS^® Statistics. Differences in numbers between variables expressed on a nominal scale were analysed using the c² test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn’s post hoc test. In all tests used, results with a significance level of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results and conclusions:
According to physiotherapists, patient falls in hospitals in Poland are a significant systemic problem. Physiotherapists determined that the risk of falling in the geriatric ward was high (p < 0.001), but low in the internal medicine ward (p < 0.001). It was indicated that the risk of falling is highest in the toilet and bathroom (p < 0.001), and an average risk exists in the patient’s room and corridor (p < 0.001).

keywords:

Risk of falls in patients in different hospital wards in light of physiotherapists’ opinions

Mateusz Curyło 1, 2 , Bernadeta F. Piwowar-Kuczyńska 3 , Agnieszka Ciukszo 4 , Michał Zabojszcz 5 , Monika Urbaniak 6 , Marcin Mikos 7

falls, hospital, physiotherapists, fall prevention

Mateusz Curyło

^{1, 2}

,

Bernadeta F. Piwowar-Kuczyńska

³

,

Agnieszka Ciukszo

⁴

,

Michał Zabojszcz

⁵

,

Monika Urbaniak

⁶

,

Marcin Mikos

⁷