PREVENTION OF FALL-INDUCED HIP FRACTURES: USABILITY EVALUATION OF HIP PROTECTORS

摘要

Hip fractures are a common consequence of falls among the older population, with the incidence set to rise as our aging society increases. It has been suggested that the use of hip protectors are instrumental in substantially reducing the occurrence of hip fractures and so reducing the associated risks of disability and death. A serious limitation to their efficacy however, is that of non-use, particularly in the community setting. This paper presents a qualitative interpretation of the usability issues arising from the use of hip protectors and reasons for non-compliance. Two types of hip protectors (soft and hard) were examined to deduce if one was superior to the other on these accounts. The main reasons for non-compliance were: poor comfort; poor self-perceived appearance of the user; and high levels of self perceived safety. The soft hip protectors were found to be superior in terms of usability and compliance, and reported to be significantly more comfortable than the hard hip protectors (p = 0.009).