Falls are a serious public health problem in the aging population because of the associated clinical and socioeconomic impact. Although previous studies have investigated fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs), few studies have focused on dosage among adult inpatients. This study aimed to evaluate associations between fall risk and dosage of different FRIDs classes in hospital inpatients. Inpatients who experienced falls at medical or surgical wards of Changhua Christian Hospital from January 2017 to December 2021 were identified and matched by age, sex, and hospital ward to randomly selected controls (four per case). Anonymous patient data were extracted from the hospital medical data repository, including demographic characteristics, comorbidities, fall-risk scores, and drug prescriptions. Medication dosages were computed using the anatomical therapeutic chemical classification and the defined daily dose system of the World Health Organization. A total of 852 cases and 3408 controls were identified as eligible. Reducing the use of CNS-active medications, administering lower doses of sedative-hypnotics, prescribing sufficient dopaminergic anti-Parkinson agents, and using NSAIDs instead of opioids are imperative in preventing falls among hospitalized patients according to the findings in the study.

Objectives: This retrospective case-controlled study aimed to evaluate the association between the severity of fall-related injuries and fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs) in hospitalized patients. Methods: Data were collected from Changhua Christian Hospital, Taiwan, of all adult inpatients who experienced falls between January 2017 and December 2021, and were divided into two groups based on whether they sustained severe fall-related injuries. Retrospective data that may affect the severity of fall-related injuries and the use of FRIDs were investigated. Results: Among 1231 documented cases of falls, 26 patients sustained severe fall-related injuries. Older patients and those with osteoporosis were more susceptible to more severe injuries from a fall. The use of mobility aids and osteoporosis medications showed protective effects against fall injuries. No significant association was observed between fall-related injuries and comorbidities or FRIDs. Multivariate analysis confirmed the inverse correlation between the use of mobility aids, osteoporosis medications, and fall severity. Patients with osteoporosis exhibited significantly higher odds of sustaining more severe injuries with a fall (odds ratio = 3.02, 95% confidence interval: 1.21–7.53). Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of addressing risk factors associated with fall severity among hospitalized patients. Providing mobility aids to persons at greater risk.

Plenty of potential drug-related problems was noted in the middle-aged and older adults. Effective communication is essential for pharmacists to coordinate their opinions with patients to improve the effectiveness of drug treatment and reduce drug-related problems. However, few studies focused on patients’ own abilities to communicate with pharmacists even though it is vital for the effectiveness of medical treatment. The purpose of this study was to design a communication training program for middle-age and older adults not only to enhance their understanding of pharmacists’ responsibilities and the importance to communicate with pharmacists, but also to improve their self-efficacy about drug-related communication and the ability to list their latest medication. A non-randomized control-group pretest-posttest design was conducted in Tainan City. Through individual interviews of five pharmacists and a focus group interview, we ensured the appropriateness and expertise of the training program. 179 adults over 55 years old were distributed into experimental group or control group. The experimental group underwent the training program after the pretest, while no intervention was provided to the control group. Face-to-face and role-playing sessions were in process with a training booklet in the courses. Both groups completed the posttest four weeks after the pretest. This communication training program appears to be effective since the knowledge of pharmacists’ responsibilities and self-efficacy of drug-related communication were significantly improved in the experimental group (p<.05) rather than control group. Completion of the recent medication list was also improved from 40.3% to 80.6% and was significantly higher than the control group.