404 Gaps in Physical Therapists’ and Physical Therapist Assistants Knowledge and Use of the CDC’s STEADI for Falls Risk Screening of Older Adults in the United States

Abstract

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Studies using Medicare data indicate that physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs) are not providing falls prevention to at-risk older adults in rehabilitation. We aimed to identify PTs and PTAs knowledge and use of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s STEADI fall prevention toolkit. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We conducted a cross-sectional survey distributed to a convenience sample of PTs and PTAs in the United States through email blasts and social media. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the demographic characteristics of the respondents. Some categorical variables were combined to provide more meaningful classifications or due to small frequencies. We used independent samples t-tests for continuous data, and chi-square and Fisher’s Exact tests for categorical data to compare characteristics between respondents that do and do not conduct falls risk screenings.Frequency counts and percentages were used to summarize survey responses related to falls risk screening and knowledge/use of STEADI. SAS® version 9.4 was used for all statistical analyses. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: PTs and PTAs (N = 425) who responded to the survey and worked in clinical settings with older adults were included. Eighty-nine percent of respondents reported conducting clinical falls risk screening, yet only 51% were 'familiar’ to 'very familiar’ with STEADI. Twenty-two percent of respondents were not familiar at all with STEADI. Of the respondents who were 'very familiar with the STEADI (n = 132, 31.1%), 84.1% (n = 111) reported using STEADI in clinical practice. Seventy-six percent of respondents who use the STEADI implemented it by choice even though the majority (52.1%, n = 63) did not have it embedded in their workflow or documentation. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: PTs and PTAs in the United States have some familiarity with and use STEADI in clinical falls prevention, and those who are very familiar with it use it by choice. Further research is needed to address the knowledge gap of STEADI and support PTs and PTAs providing falls prevention to older adults attending rehabilitation.