Thai Falls Risk Assessment Test (Thai-FRAT) Developed for Community-Dwelling Thai Elderly
Ladda Thiamwong PhD, RN*, Jittima Thamarpirat MD, MSc**, Wantana Maneesriwongul DNS, RN***, Sutthichai Jitapunkul MD, MSc**
Affiliation : * School of Nursing, Walailak University, Nakhonsithammarat ** Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok *** Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok
Objective : To develop falls risk assessment test that is appropriate for community-dwelling Thai elderly, and
to verify this test with the second set of population.
Material and Method: A cross-sectional study was performed in 270 elderly living in Bansrang subdistrict,
Ayuttaya province to identify a combination of variables that effectively predicted fall status in order to
develop the Thai-FRAT. The Thai-FRAT was validated with a second set of population whose cohort data had
been collected during 1997 – 2002 in the study named “CERB project”. One hundred fifty six elderly subjects
were recruited in the analysis.
Results : The newly developed Thai-FRAT was composed of six factors including “History of falls”, “Impaired
body balance”, “Female”, “Specific medication use”, “Impaired visual acuity”, and “Thai style house”.
Possible score of the Thai-FRAT ranged from 0-11. The best cutoff score identified by the receiver operating
curve analysis was 4. Sensitivity and specificity were 0.92 and 0.83 respectively. The Thai-FRAT could predict
recurrent fall after two years among the elderly subjects who had had a history of fall during the past six
months in the second set of population. Association between the Thai-FRAT score and mortality was also
shown.
Conclusion : The Thai-FRAT is the first fall risk assessment test developed for Thai community-dwelling
elderly. It is a valid and reliable measure of fall risk. An effect of environment on falls among Thai elderly was
clarified in the present study.
Keywords : Falls, Risk assessment test, Elderly, Community, Thai
