Donna Lockett

Predictors of Bath Grab-Bar Use among Community-Living Older Adults

Bathrooms are a common location for falls among older adults. Bath grab bars can assist in promoting safe bath transfers. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of bathroom safety-device use among community-living seniors. A two-stage sampling strategy was used to select, first, a random sample of non-universal apartment buildings and a matched sample of universal buildings, from among non-profit apartment buildings in two Canadian regions; and second, a random sample of participants within each building. A total of 550 seniors participated in face-to-face interviews in their apartments. Participants within each building type presented with similar profiles. A logistic regression was used to identify predictors of grab-bar use among participants who had grab bars and entered the bathtub on a regular basis ( n = 478). Significant predictors, in order of odds ratios, were bathing difficulties, ease of grab-bar use, living in buildings with policies supporting universal access to grab bars, having a history of falls, and reporting few psychosocial consequences of grab-bar use. Findings of this study emphasize the importance of promoting access as a key strategy for increasing use and have important implications for policy planning and falls-prevention initiatives.

Use of Different Bath Grab Bar Configurations Following a Balance Perturbation

ABSTRACT Although commonly prescribed, little research exists on bath grab bars. This study examined the use of bath grab bars following an experimentally induced balance perturbation, the influence of the task on grab bar use, and the influence of balance loss on acceptance of grab bars. A mixed design documented the use of four different grab bar configurations: (a) no bars, (b) vertical/horizontal combination, (c) L-shaped bar, and (d) vertical/angled combination following balance loss. Eighty adults were randomly assigned to three groups. Each group tried the “no bar” configuration and one of the other grab bar configurations. In 25% of the trials for each configuration, balance perturbation was induced. Older adults used grab bars 59.4% of time to regain balance, compared to 13.6% for younger adults. The vertical bar on the side wall was favored by both groups of participants during both bathtub entry and exit. To promote safety in the home, existing building codes must be revised to recommend minimally a vertical grab bar on the side wall. Additional bars may be needed to ensure safety during stand-to-sit and sit-to-stand phases of bath transfers. Initiatives must be taken to decrease the prejudice associated with grab bars.

The prohibitive costs of accessing evidence online.

Delivering continuing education online involves making published materials available to learners. As part of a study that examined the use of the Internet for dissemination of information, permission to provide resources online was sought from 43 publishers, of whom 36 responded. Four (11.1%) denied permission to copy their materials. Seven (19.4%) granted permission to copy articles at no cost. The remaining 25 (69.4%) granted permission for a fee, ranging from dollar 2 to dollar 410 per article. These findings highlight a need for more accessible and cost-effective online resources to meet the challenges of evidence-based programs and practice in public health.