Fall Risk Factors Among Individuals With Cancer in a Large, Urban, Public Hospital

OBJECTIVES: To examine risk factors associated with fall events among hospitalized individuals with cancer. SAMPLE & SETTING: 188 individuals with cancer from the inpatient oncology unit of a large, urban, public hospital in New York satisfied requirements for inclusion. METHODS & VARIABLES: A retrospective case-control analysis of electronic health records was conducted from January to December 2022. Descriptive statistics were used to investigate factors associated with fall events and falls with injuries. RESULTS: Bivariate analyses showed that being male, having a preference for the English language, having a solid tumor diagnosis, having metastatic cancer, receiving chemotherapy, using psychotropic medications, and having any isolation precautions were associated with falls among individuals with cancer. High Morse Fall Scale scores, English-language preference, and the combination of receiving chemotherapy and any isolation precautions were found to be highly predictive of a fall event during hospitalization among individuals with cancer. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Incorporating oncology-specific patient risk factors into screening or assessment tools and individualized interventions enhances safety.