Elderly caregiver: knowledge, attitudes and practices about falls and its prevention

• Published in: Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem Vol. 72; no. suppl 2; pp. 119 - 126
• Main Authors: Mamani, Abigail Roxana Nina, Reiners, Annelita Almeida Oliveira, Azevedo, Rosemeiry Capriata de Souza, Vechia, Akeisa Dieli Ribeiro Dalla, Segri, Neuber José, Cardoso, Joana Darc Chaves
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem 01-01-2019
• Subjects: Accident prevention; Accidental Falls; Accidental Falls - prevention & control; Accidental Falls - statistics & numerical data; Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Attitudes; Caregivers; Caregivers - psychology; Caregivers - statistics & numerical data; Cross-Sectional Studies; Falls; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Services for the Aged; Humans; Knowledge; Male; Nursing; Older people; Prevention; Questionnaires; Risk Factors
• ISSN: 0034-7167; 1984-0446
• DOI: 10.1590/0034-7167-2018-0276

investigate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of informal elderly caregivers about falls and its prevention.
this is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted with 97 informal elderly caregivers residents in areas covered by five Health Strategy Units (ESF) in Cuiabá.
more than half of the participants are aware of falls and identify them as a problem, as well as they identify some risk factors and prevention measures. Regarding attitudes, more than half of the caregivers do not seem to act effectively to prevent falls. Most of them report adopting practices to prevent falls of the elderly, supervising the activities of their daily lives.
caregivers know about falls and its prevention, but in a superficial way, and it seems to influence their attitudes and practices regarding the prevention of this event.