Sustainability of community-based fall prevention programs: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Community-based fall prevention programs face challenges with long-term sustainability.
• Identifying factors and strategies for sustaining these programs is crucial for ongoing public health impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review theories, models, frameworks, influencing factors, and interventions for sustaining community fall prevention programs.
• To synthesize findings from peer-reviewed literature on program sustainability.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed publications.
• Included studies describing, investigating, or evaluating program sustainability.
• Performed a narrative review to compare and synthesize findings.

Main Results:

• Nineteen publications were included in the review.
• Three conceptual frameworks for program sustainability were identified.
• Key influencing factors included ongoing financial support, older adult participation, program-specific elements, and setting.
• Planning, training, and stakeholder collaboration were identified as facilitators.

Conclusions:

• Findings can guide organizations in planning sustainable fall prevention programs.
• Further empirical research is needed to validate conceptual frameworks and identify optimal interventions.
• Robust evidence is required to confirm critical factors for sustaining community-based fall prevention programs.