Related Experiment Videos
Older Adults' Experience With Fall Prevention Recommendations Derived From the STEADI
Jennifer L Vincenzo1, Susan Kane Patton2
1University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Fayetteville, AR, USA.
Health Promotion Practice
|July 30, 2019
Summary
Older adults often recall fall risks but struggle to follow prevention advice, with exercise being the most common adherence. Many fall despite recommendations, highlighting barriers to effective fall prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Preventive Medicine
Background:
- Falls are a major public health concern for older adults, leading to significant morbidity and mortality.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries (STEADI) toolkit aims to mitigate fall risks in this population.
- Limited research exists on older adults' adherence to and perceptions of STEADI fall prevention recommendations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate older adults' adherence to and perceptions of fall prevention recommendations from the STEADI toolkit.
- To identify barriers and facilitators influencing older adults' engagement with fall prevention strategies.
Main Methods:
- Conducted semistructured interviews with older adults 6 months post-fall risk assessment.
- Utilized a purposive sampling method for participant selection.
- Analyzed interview transcripts using comparative methodology and thematic analysis.
Main Results:
- 79% accurately recalled their fall risk; 57% followed at least one recommendation, most commonly exercise.
- 32% did not correctly recall at least one recommendation, and no participants recalled or adhered to medication review, position change timing, vision checks, podiatrist visits, or physical therapy.
- 32% of participants fell, with 55.6% of those not following any recommendations; key themes included participation, barriers, and provider encouragement.
Conclusions:
- Adherence to STEADI fall prevention recommendations is suboptimal, with significant gaps in recall and implementation.
- Exercise emerged as the most recalled and followed recommendation, while others like medication review and physical therapy were largely ignored.
- Older adults' perception of societal contribution through research participation can be an unexpected facilitator for engagement in fall prevention.