1023 Novel Fall Risk Screening Questionnaire for Underserved Healthcare Settings

INTRODUCTION: Falls are the leading cause of death from injuries in patients over 65 years old, are the most common cause of acute subdural hematoma, and are a common cause of vertebral fractures. Several screening questionnaires have been developed to mitigate risk factors for falls. However, there is considerable heterogeneity in the content of these questionnaires. Additionally, these questionnaires often do not provide actionable recommendations based on patient responses. METHODS: A comprehensive fall risk screening questionnaire was developed using evidence-based fall risk factors and current widely adopted fall risk screening tools. A multidisciplinary team of physicians and physical therapists developed risk factor mitigation recommendations for positive responses to each item on the questionnaire. The questionnaire is presently administered to patients over 55 years old on a continual basis at the Virginia G. Piper Medical Clinic, a free clinic serving uninsured and underserved patients in Phoenix, Arizona. The questionnaire is available in English and Spanish, and professional translators are available for other languages. RESULTS: The survey was piloted on a cohort of ten patients on a convenience sampling basis in early 2024. All surveyed patients had at least one fall risk identified by the questionnaire. The most common risk factors identified included experiencing lightheadedness, dizziness, and numbness and tingling on a daily basis (70%) and getting less than seven hours of sleep per night (70%). Each patient surveyed experienced a median of four risk factors (range: 1-7). CONCLUSIONS: There is a considerable need for fall risk screening in underserved patient populations. Administration of the survey in the present study to a larger cohort of patients may reveal a reduction in morbidity and mortality due to falls with long-term follow-up.