International Journal of Clinical Case Reports, 2025, Vol.15, No.5, 200-208 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/ijccr 200 Systematic Review Open Access Applicability Analysis of Fall Risk Assessment Tools in Community-Dwelling Older Adults YongCheng Physicov. Med. Tech. Ltd., Zhejiang, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: 2741098603@qq.com International Journal of Clinical Case Reports 2025, Vol.15, No.5 doi: 10.5376/ijccr.2025.15.0021 Received: 26 Jun., 2025 Accepted: 05 Aug., 2025 Published: 29 Aug., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Cheng, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Cheng Y., 2025, Applicability analysis of fall risk assessment tools in community-dwelling older adults, International Journal of Clinical Case Reports, 15(5): 200-208 (doi: 10.5376/ijccr.2025.15.0021) Abstract This study explores several commonly used fall risk assessment tools in the community, such as the Morse Fall Scale, Tinetti Balance Assessment, Hendrich II, Stand up and Walk Test, and Berg Balance Scale, etc. The performance of these tools in terms of reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity and operational convenience was compared, and their respective advantages and disadvantages were summarized. Although these methods offer a more convenient and labor-saving approach for fall risk screening, there is currently no tool that can maintain stable and high judgment accuracy across different populations, and psychological and environmental factors are often overlooked. Foreign research pays more attention to the application of wearable devices and artificial intelligence technology, while domestic research focuses more on developing assessment tools suitable for local culture and making use of national data. However, it is still constrained by the limited sample size and insufficient verification at present. Existing research suggests that combining simple and feasible tools with clinical experience remains a relatively feasible strategy in community care. Future research should focus on developing more comprehensive and user-friendly assessment methods, integrating new technologies to more effectively identify multiple risk factors, thereby enhancing the accuracy and applicability of fall risk assessment. Keywords Fall risk assessment; Community-dwelling older adults; Applicability; Reliability and validity; Nursing practice 1 Introduction For the elderly living in the community, falls are a very important health issue. Among people over 65 years old, a certain proportion experience falls every year. Such incidents often lead to serious physical injuries, psychological burdens, reduced self-care abilities and increased medical expenses. Many elderly people may fall multiple times and have conditions such as fractures or require hospitalization (Mourad-Chehade et al., 2023). The impact of falls is not limited to individuals; it also increases the pressure on caregivers and imposes a greater burden on the global healthcare system (Chen et al., 2022). Common risk factors for falls among the elderly include weak balance ability, insufficient muscle strength, difficulty walking, urinary incontinence, and unsafe living environment (Chen et al., 2020; Argyrou et al., 2023). Accurate assessment of the risk of falls helps to identify high-risk groups early and take timely countermeasures, thereby reducing the occurrence of falls and the harm they cause. Fall risk assessment methods, including questionnaires, self-assessment forms, physical fitness tests, and sensor technology, have been recommended by health institutions and professional organizations for use in community and primary care (Bravo et al., 2021; Wang et al., 2022). These methods can assist medical staff, especially nurses, in formulating more targeted prevention plans for individuals, allocating resources more rationally, and improving health outcomes. The use of reliable and effective assessment tools in daily work plays an important role in reducing the occurrence of falls among the elderly and mitigating their consequences (Ong et al., 2022; Jasper et al., 2025). This study will explore the applicability, advantages and disadvantages of different fall risk assessment tools used among the elderly population in the community. By comparing the research results of these tools in terms of prediction accuracy, operability and clinical application, this study aims to provide references for best practices in fall prevention and care, help healthcare workers select appropriate tools, point out the directions that need further research, and ultimately contribute to reducing the morbidity and mortality rates among the elderly caused by falls.
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