title: Fractures in adults at an institution for the developmentally disabled.
abstract: This is a 2-year prospective observational study of fractures occurring in residents of a live in center for developmentally disabled adults that is designed to identify risk factors that predispose to injury in this group. Fifty-eight individuals sustained 67 fractures during the study period. Only 18 of the 67 (27%) fractures were witnessed by the healthcare staff. Most fractures were diagnosed by subtle findings of erythema or swelling or by a change in the patient's behavior. Thirty-three of 332 (10%) community ambulators compared with 25 of 103 (24%) less functional residents incurred fractures. This difference is highly significant. Thirty-one of the 58 (53%) patients who sustained fractures during the study had a history of fracture before the study period. Thus, programs to reduce fractures should focus on residents with previous fractures and those with more severe disabilities.
authors.affiliation: University of Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Peabody
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Stasikelis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants