Experiences of falls and strategies to manage the consequences of falls in persons with late effects of polio: A qualitative study

Objective: To explore how persons with late effects of polio experience falls and what strategies they use to manage the consequences of falls. Design: A qualitative study with face-to-face interviews. Data were analysed by systematic text condensation. Participants: Fourtee...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Christina Brogårdh, Jan Lexell, Catharina Sjödahl Hammarlund
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Medical Journals Sweden 2017-08-01
Series:Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access: https://www.medicaljournals.se/jrm/content/html/10.2340/16501977-2262
_version_ 1818320898076180480
author Christina Brogårdh
Jan Lexell
Catharina Sjödahl Hammarlund
author_facet Christina Brogårdh
Jan Lexell
Catharina Sjödahl Hammarlund
author_sort Christina Brogårdh
collection DOAJ
description Objective: To explore how persons with late effects of polio experience falls and what strategies they use to manage the consequences of falls. Design: A qualitative study with face-to-face interviews. Data were analysed by systematic text condensation. Participants: Fourteen ambulatory persons (7 women; mean age 70 years) with late effects of polio. Results: Analysis resulted in one main theme, “Everyday life is a challenge to avoid the consequences of falls”, and 3 categories with 7 subcategories. Participants perceived that falls were unpredictable and could occur anywhere. Even slightly uneven surfaces could cause a fall, and increased impairments following late effects of polio led to reduced movement control and an inability to adjust balance quickly. Physical injuries were described after the falls, as well as emotional and psychological reactions, such as embarrassment, frustration and fear of falling. Assistive devices, careful planning and strategic thinking were strategies to prevent falls, together with adaptation and social comparisons to mitigate the emotional reactions. Conclusion: Experiences of falls greatly affect persons with late effects of polio in daily life. To reduce falls and fall-related consequences both problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies are used. In order to increase daily functioning, these findings should be included in a multifaceted falls management programme.
first_indexed 2024-12-13T10:32:19Z
format Article
id doaj.art-2a071aec29474738a0249e59e5da9a03
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1650-1977
1651-2081
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-13T10:32:19Z
publishDate 2017-08-01
publisher Medical Journals Sweden
record_format Article
series Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
spelling doaj.art-2a071aec29474738a0249e59e5da9a032022-12-21T23:50:50ZengMedical Journals SwedenJournal of Rehabilitation Medicine1650-19771651-20812017-08-0149865265810.2340/16501977-22622343Experiences of falls and strategies to manage the consequences of falls in persons with late effects of polio: A qualitative studyChristina Brogårdh0Jan LexellCatharina Sjödahl Hammarlund Department of Health Sciences, Lund University , 221 00 Lund, Sweden. christina.brogardh@med.lu.se, christina.brogardh@skane.se. Objective: To explore how persons with late effects of polio experience falls and what strategies they use to manage the consequences of falls. Design: A qualitative study with face-to-face interviews. Data were analysed by systematic text condensation. Participants: Fourteen ambulatory persons (7 women; mean age 70 years) with late effects of polio. Results: Analysis resulted in one main theme, “Everyday life is a challenge to avoid the consequences of falls”, and 3 categories with 7 subcategories. Participants perceived that falls were unpredictable and could occur anywhere. Even slightly uneven surfaces could cause a fall, and increased impairments following late effects of polio led to reduced movement control and an inability to adjust balance quickly. Physical injuries were described after the falls, as well as emotional and psychological reactions, such as embarrassment, frustration and fear of falling. Assistive devices, careful planning and strategic thinking were strategies to prevent falls, together with adaptation and social comparisons to mitigate the emotional reactions. Conclusion: Experiences of falls greatly affect persons with late effects of polio in daily life. To reduce falls and fall-related consequences both problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies are used. In order to increase daily functioning, these findings should be included in a multifaceted falls management programme. https://www.medicaljournals.se/jrm/content/html/10.2340/16501977-2262 activitiesofdailylivingcopingskills,accidentalfallsemotionspost-poliomyelitissyndromequalitativeresearch
spellingShingle Christina Brogårdh
Jan Lexell
Catharina Sjödahl Hammarlund
Experiences of falls and strategies to manage the consequences of falls in persons with late effects of polio: A qualitative study
Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
activitiesofdailyliving
copingskills,accidentalfalls
emotions
post-poliomyelitissyndrome
qualitativeresearch
title Experiences of falls and strategies to manage the consequences of falls in persons with late effects of polio: A qualitative study
title_full Experiences of falls and strategies to manage the consequences of falls in persons with late effects of polio: A qualitative study
title_fullStr Experiences of falls and strategies to manage the consequences of falls in persons with late effects of polio: A qualitative study
title_full_unstemmed Experiences of falls and strategies to manage the consequences of falls in persons with late effects of polio: A qualitative study
title_short Experiences of falls and strategies to manage the consequences of falls in persons with late effects of polio: A qualitative study
title_sort experiences of falls and strategies to manage the consequences of falls in persons with late effects of polio a qualitative study
topic activitiesofdailyliving
copingskills,accidentalfalls
emotions
post-poliomyelitissyndrome
qualitativeresearch
url https://www.medicaljournals.se/jrm/content/html/10.2340/16501977-2262
work_keys_str_mv AT christinabrogardh experiencesoffallsandstrategiestomanagetheconsequencesoffallsinpersonswithlateeffectsofpolioaqualitativestudy
AT janlexell experiencesoffallsandstrategiestomanagetheconsequencesoffallsinpersonswithlateeffectsofpolioaqualitativestudy
AT catharinasjodahlhammarlund experiencesoffallsandstrategiestomanagetheconsequencesoffallsinpersonswithlateeffectsofpolioaqualitativestudy