Fall detection with body-worn sensors

Background and aimsFalls among older people remain a major public health challenge. Body-worn sensors are needed to improve the understanding of the underlying mechanisms and kinematics of falls. The aim of this systematic review is to assemble, extract and critically discuss the information available in published studies, as well as the characteristics of these investigations (fall documentation and technical characteristics).MethodsThe searching of publically accessible electronic literature databases for articles on fall detection with body-worn sensors identified a collection of 96 records (33 journal articles, 60 conference proceedings and 3 project reports) published between 1998 and 2012. These publications were analysed by two independent expert reviewers. Information was extracted into a custom-built data form and processed using SPSS (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).ResultsThe main findings were the lack of agreement between the methodology and documentation protocols (study, fall reporting and technical characteristics) used in the studies, as well as a substantial lack of real-world fall recordings. A methodological pitfall identified in most articles was the lack of an established fall definition. The types of sensors and their technical specifications varied considerably between studies.ConclusionLimited methodological agreement between sensor-based fall detection studies using body-worn sensors was identified. Published evidence-based support for commercially available fall detection devices is still lacking. A worldwide research group consensus is needed to address fundamental issues such as incident verification, the establishment of guidelines for fall reporting and the development of a common fall definition.ZusammenfassungEinleitungStürze älterer Menschen stellen eine große Aufgabe für das Gesundheitswesen dar. Am Körper getragene Sensoren helfen, die Kinematik und Mechanismen von Stürzen besser zu verstehen. Ziel dieses Reviews ist es, Informationen aus publizierten Studien und deren Charakteristika (Sturzdokumentation und technische Spezifikationen) zu sammeln, zu extrahieren und kritisch zu diskutieren.MethodenDie systematische Suche innerhalb der öffentlich zugänglichen, elektronischen Literaturdatenbanken nach Artikeln zur Sturzerkennung mit am Körper getragenen Sensoren ergab 96 Publikationen (33 Fachzeitschriftenartikel, 60 Konferenzbeiträge und 3 Projektberichte), die von 1998 bis 2012 veröffentlicht wurden. Diese Publikationen wurden von jeweils zwei unabhängigen Gutachtern analysiert. Dabei wurden die relevanten Daten elektronisch erfasst und mit SPSS ausgewertet.ErgebnisseDie wichtigsten Erkenntnisse sind eine mangelnde Übereinstimmung in Methodik und Dokumentation (Studien- und technische Charakteristika sowie Sturzdokumentation) und ein substanzieller Mangel an Aufzeichnungen von realen Stürzen. In den meisten Publikationen fehlte eine etablierte Sturzdefinition. Die verwendeten Sensortypen sowie deren technische Spezifikationen variierten erheblich innerhalb der untersuchten Studien.SchlussfolgerungenEs wurde eine begrenzte methodische Übereinstimmung bei der sensorbasierten Sturzerkennung festgestellt. Es ist keine publizierte Evidenzbasis für kommerziell erhältliche Sturzerkennungsgeräte vorhanden. Ein Konsens von Forschergruppen weltweit wird notwendig sein, um fundamentale Fragen, z. B. zur Sturzverifikation, zu erörtern, Leitlinien für eine Sturzdokumentation zu erarbeiten und eine gemeinsame Sturzdefinition zu entwickeln.

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