Proposal of index to evaluate caregivers' fear of care recipient falls.

Abstract

This study aimed to identify evaluation items that can be used to create an index to evaluate caregivers' fear of care recipient falls. A three-round Delphi method was conducted with medical professionals engaged in discharge support for patients with fall-related fractures. In the first round, a working group brainstormed evaluation items. In the second and third rounds, opinions of medical professionals were quantified and evaluation items were refined. The Delphi method showed convergence of opinion with Kendall's W of 0.561 in the third round. Of the 109 evaluation items pooled in the first round, the consensus was reached on the importance of 19 items and one more item was additionally included. The 20 items may be useful for creating an index that sensitively measures caregivers' fear of care recipient falls.