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Clinical Trial Details — Status: Not yet recruiting

Administrative data

NCT number NCT04067193
Other study ID # 2019/49
Secondary ID
Status Not yet recruiting
Phase
First received
Last updated
Start date October 30, 2019
Est. completion date May 3, 2021

Study information

Verified date September 2019
Source University Hospital, Angers
Contact Cédric ANNWEILER, MD, PhD
Phone 0241354725
Email allegro@chu-angers.fr
Is FDA regulated No
Health authority
Study type Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

This study evaluates the usability of a new remote warning system for fall in old people. This system is integrated in a shoe. Patients hospitalized in a geriatric ward but also their informal and professional caregivers will assess the usability of the device using a structured survey.


Description:

Falls are a major health concerned because of their frequency and severity. It is estimated that 30% of people over 65 years old and 50% of those over 85 years old fall at least once a year. Falls are also one of the main factors of morbidity, mortality and early institutionalization for old people.

Preventive measures have been implemented to limit the recurrence of falls. Most of these preventive measures are secondary and tertiary prevention programs, such as MultiFactorial Interventions (MFIs). Home-based programs are under evaluation, but evidences of their effectiveness are currently controversial. Effects of prevention programs for in and outpatients remain modest. The objectives of these interventions are to decrease the frequency of falls but also to decrease the severity of falls.

The severity of falls is due to their physical complications (found in 50 to 55% of cases), their psychological complications (40%) but it is also reflected by the subsequent hospitalizations (20%), the acceleration of dependency (50%) and the institutionalizations (40%). Falls are complicated by death in 5% of cases.

In addition, the literature on fall complications is profuse. One of these complications is the hip fracture. Hip fracture is the main cause of mortality and loss of autonomy due to falls. However, in a previous study conducted by Bloch et al. in 2009 at Cochin Hospital, several indirect evidences tended to show that mortality from falls was related to the metabolic disorders linked to the extended stay on the ground, rather than to immediate traumatic consequences. As metabolic disorders reflects the time needed to be rescued, this article highlights the importance of using early warning systems to reduce the occurrence of such complications in old frail patients living alone, and unable to get up alone from the ground.

The most commonly used warning tools are remote assistance systems (necklace or bracelet) with a button to push in case of a fall. In the study conducted by Flemming et al. in 2008, when these systems are activated, the great majority of fallers are back on their feet within one hour after the alert. Nevertheless, of 143 old people living alone and unable to get up alone from the ground, only 28 were using a warning system. The reasons for non-use are as follows: the person does not have a warning remote assistance systems, the person owns a warning remote assistance systems but was not wearing it at the time of the fall, the person was wearing a warning remote assistance systems but was forgetting (or was in difficulty) to use it.

Many research projects on fall warning and detection systems have been initiated. In the 2018 meta-analysis by Nguyen et al., fall detection systems are divided into 2 groups: a pre and a post-fall group. In the latter group, the detection systems were mainly using 3D accelerators, gyroscopes, magnetometers or smartphones with the above-mentioned devices. However, to date, there is no reliable detection system on the market because some obstacles remain. These obstacles are concerning technology but also usability. Concerning technological issue, one of the problems remains the ability of devices to detect low kinetic falls, which is common in the elderly. Concerning usability, questions are for example the problem of the voluntary activation by the user of the most common devices, or the absence of wearing the device during numerous falls.

PARADE CONNECT would remove some of the usability obstacle typically associated with remote warning systems. Indeed, the system is activated independently of the will, cognitive state and consciousness of its user. The warning system is integrated into a shoe usually worn by the old people, with probably a less stigmatizing character of aging and loss of independence. This is why it seems important to us, as a first step, to evaluate its acceptability and usability by patients.


Recruitment information / eligibility

Status Not yet recruiting
Enrollment 60
Est. completion date May 3, 2021
Est. primary completion date April 30, 2021
Accepts healthy volunteers Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Gender All
Age group 18 Years and older
Eligibility Inclusion criteria:

- Patients :

- Aged 65 years old and over

- To be hospitalised in geriatric medicine department of Angers University Hospital

- Unformal caregivers :

- Family members or relatives

- Age 18 years and over

- Professional caregivers:

- geriatric medicine department's staff of Angers University Hospital

- aged of 18 years and over

Exclusion criteria:

- Patients :

- To have motor disability or walking contraindications

- To be under legal protection

- Refusal of participating

Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms

  • Patients Hospitalised in Geriatrics

Intervention

Other:
usability survey
usability survey composed of subpart: System Usability Scale, questions about ergonomic, questions about design, question about global satisfaction.

Locations

Country Name City State
France Angers University Hospital Angers

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor Collaborator
University Hospital, Angers

Country where clinical trial is conducted

France, 

Outcome

Type Measure Description Time frame Safety issue
Primary Usability of the PARADE CONNECT shoes: Average of the usability scores Average of the usability scores. Usability score is calculated using the responses to the validated System Usability Scale (SUS). An average score equal or over 70/100 will be considered as satisfying. within 24 hours after removal of the device
Secondary Satisfaction of the PARADE CONNECT shoes: recommendation scale Average recommendation score. Satisfaction score is calculated using the responses to the recommendation scale. This scale is a ten point's scale from 0 (I don't recommend at all) to 10 (I fully recommend). An average score greater than 5/10 would be acceptable, a score greater than or equal to 7/10 would be satisfactory. within 24 hours after removal of the device
Secondary Ergonomic of the PARADE CONNECT shoes Average ergonomics score: The ergonomics score is a composite score based on the average of the answers to five ergonomics questions on a four-level Likert scale. The Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). The average score is reported on ten. An average score greater than 5/10 would be acceptable, a score greater than or equal to 7/10 would be satisfactory. within 24 hours after removal of the device
Secondary Preferred shape for the PARADE CONNECT shoes Three shape of shoes will be presented. Each participant will be asked about his preferred shape of shoes. The prefered shape will be the most choose shapenof shoes. within 24 hours after removal of the device
Secondary Acceptability of the PARADE CONNECT shoes: Average acceptability score Average acceptability score: The acceptability score is assessed using a closed question. The response is based on a four-level Likert scale. The Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). The average score is reported on ten. An average score greater than 5/10 would be acceptable, a score greater than or equal to 7/10 would be satisfactory. within 24 hours after removal of the device