title: Falls in newly admitted nursing home residents: a national study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between nursing home (NH) organizational characteristics and falls in newly admitted NH residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational cross-sectional study from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2006.
  
  
  METHODS
  NHs in the United States in 2006.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals (n = 230,730) admitted to a NH in 2006 without a prior NH stay and with a follow-up Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment completed 30 days or more after admission.
  
  
  METHODS
  The relationship between experiencing a fall noted on the MDS assessment and NH characteristics (e.g., staffing, profit and chain status, religious affiliation, hospital-based facility status, number of beds, presence of a special care unit, funding) was examined, adjusting for NH resident characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one percent of this cohort (n = 47,750) had experienced at least one fall in the NH at the time of the MDS assessment, which was completed for newly admitted NH residents who had at least a 30-day stay. NHs with higher certified nursing assistant (CNA) staffing had lower rates of falls (adjusted odds ratio = 0.97, 95% confidence interval = 0.95-0.99).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For newly admitted NH residents, NHs with higher CNA staffing had a lower fall rate. In an effort to maximize fall prevention efforts, further research is needed to understand the relationship between CNA staffing and falls in this NH population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry and Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA. nleland@usc.edu
authors.forename: Natalie E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Leland
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gozalo
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Teno
authors.forename: Vince
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mor
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States