# Assessment of Fall Risk in Oncology Patients: A Scale Development Study

## TL;DR

This study created a reliable scale to assess fall risk in cancer patients, which can help improve patient safety and care planning.

## Contribution

The study introduces a new, validated fall risk assessment scale specifically designed for oncology patients.

## Key findings

- The scale has a single-factor structure with 19 items and high internal consistency (Kuder–Richardson 20 = 0.964).
- Confirmatory Factor Analysis confirmed the scale's robust construct validity.
- The scale can help identify oncology patients at higher fall risk and guide clinical decisions.

## Abstract

This methodological study aimed to develop and validate a reliable scale for assessing fall risk in oncology patients.

The research included 415 patients (217 for Exploratory Factor Analysis [EFA], 198 for Confirmatory Factor Analysis [CFA]) from a university hospital's oncology clinic and polyclinic. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and a draft Fall Risk Assessment Scale for Oncology Patients.

EFA revealed a single‐factor structure consisting of 19 items, explaining 79.34% of the total variance. The scale demonstrated high internal consistency (Kuder–Richardson 20 = 0.964). CFA further confirmed the single‐dimensional model, indicating robust construct validity.

The newly developed scale provides a valid and practical tool for identifying fall risk among oncology patients. Its implementation may support the identification of individuals at higher fall risk in oncology settings and inform clinical decision‐making and preventive care planning.