Home › Research › Digital health tools
Physical restraints in geriatric care in Sweden: prevalence and patient characteristics
Karlsson S, Bucht G, Eriksson S, Sandman PO.. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 1996-11-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective Physical restraints are used frequently in geriatric care to promote the safety of frail older patients. This study investigated the prevalence of the use of physical restraints in geriatric care and the way in which patient characteristics are related to the use of physical restraints. Design A point prevalence study of patients cared for in various types of geriatric settings. Setting Eight nursing homes, 15 old people's homes, a somatic geriatric clinic, and a psychogeriatric clinic in a health care district in northern Sweden. Participants A total of 1325 patients, mean age 82 years, 64% of whom were women. Measurements The Multi-Dimensional Dementia Assessment Scale (MDDAS) was used to measure motor function, vision, hearing, speech, ADLs, behavioral symptoms, psychiatric symptoms, use of psychoactive drugs, and the physical and psychological workload of the staff. In addition, questions concerning the use of physical restraints were added to the instrument. Results Twenty-four percent of the patients were physically restrained. The highest prevalence was found in nursing homes and psychogeriatric care. Physical restraints were found to relate most strongly to cognitive impairment, impaired ADLs, and speech and walking ability. Ninety-four percent of the restrained patients were cognitively impaired. Other variables relating to the use of physical restraints were psychiatric symptoms and behavioral disturbances. Conclusions This study has shown that physical restraints are used frequently in geriatric care in Sweden and that cognitive and physical impairments relate very closely to the use of physical restraints.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Karlsson, S., Bucht, G., Eriksson, S., & Sandman, P. O. (1996). Physical restraints in geriatric care in Sweden: prevalence and patient characteristics. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.1996.tb01406.x
Vancouver
Karlsson S, Bucht G, Eriksson S, Sandman PO. Physical restraints in geriatric care in Sweden: prevalence and patient characteristics. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 1996. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.1996.tb01406.x. PMID: 8909351.
BibTeX
@article{karlsson1996-8909351,
author = {Karlsson, S. and Bucht, G. and Eriksson, S. and Sandman, P. O.},
title = {{Physical restraints in geriatric care in Sweden: prevalence and patient characteristics}},
journal = {Journal of the American Geriatrics Society},
year = {1996},
doi = {10.1111/j.1532-5415.1996.tb01406.x},
pmid = {8909351},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.1996.tb01406.x}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Results Twenty-four percent of the patients were physically restrained.
- Conclusions This study has shown that physical restraints are used frequently in geriatric care in Sweden and that cognitive and physical impairments relate very closely to the use of physical restraints.
Why it matters
This Swedish study found that 24% of geriatric care patients were physically restrained, and that cognitive and physical impairments related closely to restraint use. It is about care practices, not about treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Digital health →
Study details
- Participants1,325
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 41/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of the American Geriatrics Society) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of the American Geriatrics Society: journal h-index 344 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1996 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 1,325 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 60 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.9 citations a year over 32 year(s) since 1996 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Per Olof Sandman: h-index 28 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Umeå University: institution h-index 813 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 8909351) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 41 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Related
Studies in the library that share something with this one. The line above each title says what.
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Related studies in Digital health tools
Also tagged “palliative”
858 studies in the library carry the topic tag “palliative”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 858 tagged studies.