Predictors of Bath Grab-Bar Use among Community-Living Older Adults

Abstract

ABSTRACTBathrooms are a common location for falls among older adults. Bath grab bars can assist in promoting safe bath transfers. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of bathroom safety-device use among community-living seniors. A two-stage sampling strategy was used to select, first, a random sample of non-universal apartment buildings and a matched sample of universal buildings, from among non-profit apartment buildings in two Canadian regions; and second, a random sample of participants within each building. A total of 550 seniors participated in face-to-face interviews in their apartments. Participants within each building type presented with similar profiles. A logistic regression was used to identify predictors of grab-bar use among participants who had grab bars and entered the bathtub on a regular basis (n= 478). Significant predictors, in order of odds ratios, were bathing difficulties, ease of grab-bar use, living in buildings with policies supporting universal access to grab bars, having a history of falls, and reporting few psychosocial consequences of grab-bar use. Findings of this study emphasize the importance of promoting access as a key strategy for increasing use and have important implications for policy planning and falls-prevention initiatives.