6–9 However, to use these tests for fall risk prediction in clinical evaluations, cutoff scores are necessary. Based on the fact that many older adults have a high risk of falling, the BESTest and the Mini-BEST can be useful measurement tools in this population. The BESTEST and the Mini-BEST are measures used by health care professionals to predict risk of falls and/or identify the components of the postural control system responsible for the occurrence of falls in different populations. 2, 5 The Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest) is a quicker version of the BESTest, since it has fewer questions and is not divided into sections. The 6 sections are biomechanical constraints stability limits/verticality anticipatory postural adjustments reactive postural responses sensory orientation and stability of gait. Test results direct health professionals to target treatment to the systems with the greatest decline. The Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest) is a tool consisting of 6 sections to assess distinct factors related to postural control. Therefore, the use of assessment tools to identify older adults with heightened fall risk helps health professionals prevent falls and their consequences.
4 Thus, avoiding the first fall is extremely important to maintain functional independence in older adults. 1, 2 After an initial fall, older adults have a higher risk of falling again the occurrence of a first fall is a predictor of future falls, 3 and falls may result in incapacities, reduced functionality, less independence, and worse quality of life. The study also determined that cutoff values vary for different age groups.įalls are events that occur at least once per year in approximately 33% of older adults, and falls become even more recurrent during the eighth decade of life. The BESTest and the Mini-BESTest are good tools for predicting fall risk in the 6 months following an initial evaluation in community-dwelling Brazilian older adults. The cutoff scores to identify older adults with fall risk according to the BESTest and the Mini-BESTest in the different age groups were 99 and 25 points, respectively, for people 60 to 69 years of age, 92 and 23 points for the age group of 70 to 79 years, 85 and 22 points for people 80 to 89 years of age, and 74 and 17 points for people 90 years of age or older. Statistical analyses were done using SPSS (Version 16.0-SPSS Inc) with a significance level of 5% ( P ≤. To define the reference values of the tests in relation to fall risk prediction, a receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn to identify the area under the curve and the sensitivity and specificity of the tests. After evaluation, participants received telephone follow-up for 6 months to record the number of fall episodes. Methods:Ī total of 264 older adults, of both sexes, between the ages of 60 and 102 years, were divided into 4 groups according to age range. The purpose of this study was to determine the cutoff scores for the BESTest and the Mini-BESTest for community-dwelling older adults in order to predict fall risk. Reference values for the Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest) and the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest) need to be established to predict falls in older adults during every stage of aging.
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