Development and validation of a fall risk assessment scale for hospitalized cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Hospitalized cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy are at high risk of falls. This study aimed to develop a Fall Risk Assessment Scale for Hospitalized Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy to provide an effective tool to prevent falls and improve patient safety. METHODS: An initial item pool was constructed using an evidence-based approach. The initial scale was refined through expert consultations and then used to assess fall risk in 329 patients. We tested the scale's reliability and validity. The optimal cut-off value was determined using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and risk levels were defined using a quartile-based method. RESULTS: The final scale consisted of 3 dimensions (Personal factors, Chemotherapy-related symptoms and signs, and Diagnostic and treatment factors) and 12 items. Scale Content Validity Index (S-CVI) and Item Content Validity Index (I-CVI) were both 1.000. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) extracted three factors with eigenvalues greater than 1, with a cumulative variance rate of 52.667%, and all item loadings exceeded 0.40. ROC analysis identified a cut-off of 20 points for the scale, with Area Under the Curve (AUC) = 0.742, sensitivity 94.7%, and specificity 53.3%. Based on the 20-point threshold, scores of 20-25 indicated low risk, 26-33 medium risk, and ≥ 34 high risk. CONCLUSION: The Fall Risk Assessment Scale for Hospitalized Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy demonstrated good reliability and validity and can be used as a clinical tool to identify and predict falls.
Source: BMC Nursing
Authors: Mengying Cui, Yue Guo, Zhihui Lu, Zijing Huang, Xiaobei Guo, Ying Wang
Language: English
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,090
OpenAlex ID: W4416928530