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Primary Prevention of Falls: Effectiveness of a Statewide Program
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Mar 13 2014
Source: Am J Public Health. 104(5):e77-e84. -
Alternative Title:Am J Public Health
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Description:Objective
We examined a population-wide program to reduce falls incidence, Pennsylvania’s Healthy Steps for Older Adults (HSOA), which, to date, has been completed by 32,000 people aged 50 or older. Older adults completing HSOA are screened and educated regarding falls risk, with those identified as high risk referred to primary care providers and home safety resources.
Methods
In 2010-2011 older adults who completed HSOA (n=814) or who did not but attended the same senior center sites (n=1019) were enrolled and followed monthly for up to 12 months. Falls were defined as any occasion when a person ends up on the floor or ground without being able to stop or prevent it. While participants were not randomly allocated to study conditions, the two groups did not differ in falls risk at baseline or attrition over follow-up. We ascertained falls each month using a telephone interactive voice response system.
Results
In multivariate models, adjusted falls incidence rate ratios among HSOA participants were lower than in the comparator group for both total (IRR = 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72-0.96) and activity-adjusted (IRR= 0.81, 95% CI, 0.70-0.93) months of follow-up.
Conclusions
Primary prevention of falls using existing aging services infrastructure is feasible and resulted in a 17% reduction in the rate of falls over a median of 7.5 months of follow-up.
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Pubmed ID:24625164
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Pubmed Central ID:PMC3987590
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