Framing moving and handling as a complex healthcare intervention within the acute care of older people with osteoporosis: a qualitative study

Abstract

Aims and objectives. To investigate healthcare staff's views and experiences of caring for older hospitalized adults [aged 60+] with osteoporosis focusing on moving and handling. Specific objectives were to explore the composition of manual handling risk assessments and interventions in osteoporosis. Background. Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease that reduces bone density and causes increased fracture risk. Incidence rises with age and osteoporotic fractures cause increased morbidity and mortality. It is major global health problem. In the UK older hospitalized adults are normally screened for falls risk but not necessarily for osteoporosis. As presentation of osteoporosis is normally silent until fractures are evident it is frequently undiagnosed. Healthcare staff's knowledge of osteoporosis is often sub optimal and specific manual handing implications under-researched.