Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Physical restraint use and falls in nursing home residents.
To examine the relationship between restraint use and falls while controlling for the effect of psychoactive drug use among nursing home residents, including subgroups of nursing home residents with high rates of restraint use and/or falls. ⋯ Restraints were not associated with a significantly lower risk of falls or injuries in subgroups of residents likely to be restrained. These findings support individualized assessment of fall risk rather than routine use of physical restraints for fall prevention. Researchers and clinicians should continue to focus efforts on developing a variety of approaches that reduce risk of falls and injuries and promote mobility rather than immobility.