FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF PARAÍBA

HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER

GRADUATE PROGRAM IN NURSING

RISK ASSESSMENT: FALLS IN ELDERLY IN VIEW OF

SOCIAL REPRESENTATIONS

João Pessoa – PB - Brazil

2013

Authors:

Tatyana Ataíde Melo de Pinho

José Luiz Telles

Sergio Augusto Silva P. Moreira

Maria Adelaide Silva Paredes Moreira

Maria do Socorro Costa Feitosa Alves

Juliana Almeida Marques Lubenow

Antonia Oliveira Silva.

Brazil has a constant increase in population,

Paraíba is ranked 3rd in the number of elderly;

Rapid unorganized population growth ;

The fall is one of the factors that can diminish the

quality of life for seniors;

Better knowledge of social representation in the

elderly, helps identify the subjects which are most

likely to cause fall;

Implementing actions, professional practices more

assertive, better quality of life.

Introduction

Getting to know the social representations

associated with 'risk of fall' in the conception of

the aged;

OBJECTIVE

Results obtained from Alceste

Social representations of risk of falls learnt from

Alceste

Corpus = risk of falls = subjects' responses;

Composed of 1,434 different words;

342 testable

words

127

instrumental

words

= UCE (Unit Elementary Context corresponds to

segments of text sized by the program depending on the

size of the corpus, respecting the score).

Hierarchical

Analysis

419 UCE’s

5 Classes

Results obtained from Alceste

Results obtained from Alceste

Source: PINHO,2009

Semantic classes or categories

Class 1 Fall Prevention

Class 2 Causes of Fall

Class 3 Aging Impact

Class 4 Consequence of Fall

Class 5 Senses Associated with Fall

Table 1 - Distribution of semantic categories or classes

CLASS 1 – Fall Prevention

- Most of the elderly reported ... falls can not be prevented, it is an

act of GOD and that the only way to avoid it is to watch where you

are walking, stepping firmly and taking care ... .

- They did not realise that such things as adjusting furniture could in

preventing falls.

- It was also shown that elderly rejected the idea of using a cane.

- Even those who reported fear of falling, history of falls, or spinal

problems were reluctant to demonstrate their necessity.

- Aminzadeh and Edwards (1998) - studied the need, benefits and

barriers using the cane. The elderly reported that they were

capable and strong enough and did not need to use a cane.

Results obtained from Alceste

CLASS 2 – Causes of Fall

The results show that the elderly are subject to environmental factors

which can identify the causes of falls.

Most elderly people reported negative aspects of aging, attributing

extrinsic factors as the main cause falls;

They did not take into consideration their own capabilities and limits

And when they admit that a fall was caused by limitations ... Poor

sight, weak bones ... they attribute these aspects to old age.

This data corroborates Martin et al. (2008) most participants had

fallen and represented falls as inevitable, often as a result of aging

CLASS 3 – Aging Impact

Most elderly reported aging as a bad event, with the onset of being

vulnerable to diseases, limited to perform of activities, depending on third-party,

spending on medication, low wages.

Few reported in their answers that age ... was a positive, a divine gift, and

worried less.

Which in turn results in a more negative than positive structured

representation.

Bezerra et. al. (2005) already mentioned that for aging to be successful, it

must not only represent the absence of disease but also maintain functionality

and autonomy conditions.

CLASS 4 – Consequences of Falls

Most reported main effects of the fall are being dependent for the rest

of their lives, using a wheelchair, pain and unable to do anything else .

The consequences of falls cause fear of fracture, hospitalization.

According to Messiah and Neves (2009) falls are not the common

and inevitable consequence of age, but a serious threat to health and

independence of the elderly.

YARDLEY et al (2006) found in his study that even having suffered a

fall, most respondents, deny that intervention was needed, despite the

presence of the risk factors.

CLASS 5– – Senses Associated with Fall

There is a relationship between frequent falling and aging.

It is seen as a phase that brings loneliness, pain, sickness, trouble

and limitation. Because of the appearance of all these transformations,

the elderly are more likely to fall.

A fall is viewed as normal which happens at any age, however it

becomes more complicated in the elderly.

The SR of the elderly is very important there is a denial of the risk

of falls.

They think a fall is a common event which causes pain or suffering of

some sort, otherwise it is considered a “trip or stubble."

Final Considerations

The results showed that the SR contents more negative

than positive points.

The fall is represented as a common and normal event

and caused by extrinsic factors.

As studies concure that to decrease risk of falls there has

to be more implementation in public policy using a

multidimensional and multidisciplinary approach

It is important to highlight the need for further studies in

order to identify possible changes in the representations,

since they are not watertight and may become reality.

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João Pessoa-Paraíba-Brazil