Falling less in kansas: development of a fall risk reduction toolkit

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Community-Based Research

Background:

• Falls pose a significant health risk to older adults, particularly those in rural and frontier areas with limited healthcare access.
• Limited access to healthcare professionals exacerbates fall risks for older adults in underserved regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a fall prevention toolkit for rural and frontier older adults.
• To ensure the toolkit is usable independently by residents, without requiring healthcare provider assistance.

Main Methods:

• A community-based participatory research approach was utilized.
• Qualitative data were collected through key informant interviews and focus groups.

Main Results:

• The toolkit must be evidence-based, practical, low-cost, and self-explanatory.
• Materials need to be engaging, visually appealing, empowering, and accessible (considering reading levels and low vision).

Conclusions:

• The developed toolkit is designed for independent use by rural older adults.
• Findings offer guidance for creating effective, accessible health education materials for underserved older populations.