Older adults' perceptions of clinical fall prevention programs: a qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Health Behavior

Background:

• Falls are a significant risk for community-dwelling older adults.
• Fall risk assessment and management programs aim to reduce fall incidence.
• Participation barriers among diverse, low-income populations require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify motivational factors and barriers to program participation.
• To understand perceptions of fall risk assessment and management.
• Focus on diverse, low-income older adults with a history of falls.

Main Methods:

• Conducted face-to-face interviews with 39 older adults (20 participants, 19 non-participants).
• Explored themes of healthy aging, core values, fall attributions, and program perceptions.
• Utilized qualitative interview data to compare joiners and non-joiners.

Main Results:

• Joiners and non-joiners shared similar views on aging loss, core values, and fall emotions.
• A key difference: participants felt they 'needed' the program; non-participants did not.
• Perceived need emerged as a critical differentiator for program engagement.

Conclusions:

• Fall prevention interventions must address perceived need and individual beliefs.
• Structural and social factors like transportation and social networks are significant barriers.
• Tailoring interventions to address these multifaceted barriers is essential for high-risk groups.