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Primary Prevention of Falls: Effectiveness of a Statewide Program.
- Source :
- American Journal of Public Health; May2014, Vol. 104 Issue 5, pe77-e84, 8p, 1 Diagram, 2 Charts, 1 Graph
- Publication Year :
- 2014
-
Abstract
- Objectives. We examined a population-wide program, Pennsylvania's Healthy Steps for Older Adults (HSOA), designed to reduce the incidence of falls among older adults. Older adults completing HSOA are screened and educated regarding fall risk, and those identified as being at high risk are referred to primary care providers and home safety resources. Methods. From 2010 to 2011, older adults who completed HSOA at various senior center sites (n = 814) and a comparison group of older adults from the same sites who did not complete the program (n = 1019) were recruited and followed monthly. Although participants were not randomly allocated to study conditions, the 2 groups did not differ in fall risk at baseline or attrition. We used a telephone interactive voice response system to ascertain the number of falls that occurred each month. Results. In multivariate models, adjusted fall incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were lower in the HSOA group than in the comparison 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. Use of existing aging services in primary prevention of falls is feasible, resulting in a 17% reduction in our sample in the rate of falls over the follow-up period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- PREVENTIVE health services
ACCIDENTAL fall prevention
COMPARATIVE studies
CONFIDENCE intervals
EPIDEMIOLOGY
POSTURAL balance
HEALTH education
HOME accident prevention
HOME care services
EVALUATION of medical care
MEDICAL referrals
MEDICAL screening
MULTIVARIATE analysis
ONE-leg resting position
HEALTH outcome assessment
PRIMARY health care
RESEARCH funding
RISK assessment
SELF-evaluation
DATA analysis
COMMUNITY-based social services
CONTROL groups
DISEASE incidence
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
OLD age
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00900036
- Volume :
- 104
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- American Journal of Public Health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 95476848
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2013.301829