J Korean Clin Nurs Res.  2020 Aug;26(2):265-273. 10.22650/JKCNR.2020.26.2.265.

Validation of Adult Fall Assessment Scale Korean Version for Adult Patients in General Hospitals in Korea

• Choi EH
• Ko MS
• Lee SA
• Park JH

• KMID: 2505976
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22650/JKCNR.2020.26.2.265

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to test the predictive validity of the Fall Assessment Scale-Korean version (FAS-K) and to find the most appropriate cutoff score to screen high-risk fall groups in adult patients in general hospitals in Korea.
Methods
We performed a prospective evaluation study in medical and surgical ward patients at two major general hospitals in Seoul. Data were collected from Nov. 1, 2018 to Feb. 28, 2019, nurses performed 651 observation series. The researcher measured the fall risk assessment score by applying FAS-K, MFS (Morse Fall Scale), and JHFRAT (Johns Hopkins Hospital Fall Risk Assessment tool) to the patients twice a week between 10 am and 12 noon. Data were analyzed using Pearson's corelation coefficients, and the sensitivity, specificity, predictive value, and the area under the curve (AUC) of the three tools. Results: The FAS-K was positively correlated with the MFS (r=.70, p<.001) and the JHFRAT (r=.82, p<.001). According to the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis of the FAS-K, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative prediction values were 85.3%, 49.4%, 8.5%, and 98.4%, respectively, when the FAS-K score was 4. Therefore, the cut-off score of the FAS-K to identify groups with high fall risk was 4.
Conclusion
The FAS-K is a valid tool for measuring fall risk in adult inpatients. In addition, the FAS-K score, 4, can be used to identify high-risk fall groups and know specific points in time to provide active interventions to prevent falls.

Keyword

Falls; Risk Assessment; Validation; Inpatients