Fall prevention interventions among older adults in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs): an integrative review

Falls are a leading cause of injury-related morbidity and mortality among older adults. Although effective fall-prevention programs exist, evidence on their implementation and effectiveness in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains limited. This review synthesized studies of fall-prevention interventions for older adults in LMICs.

Ovid-Medline, CINAHL, and Scopus databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies reporting falls, fall risk, or fear of falling as primary or secondary outcomes. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed methodological quality.

Of 792 articles identified, 14 studies from seven countries were included. Multifactorial interventions, exercise-based programs, and home safety modifications were associated with reductions in fall incidence, fall risk, and fear of falling. However, evidence remains limited on their contextual adaptation, scalability, and long-term sustainability in LMIC settings.

This integrative review finds that fall-prevention interventions may reduce falls, fall risk, and fear of falling among older adults in LMICs. However, due to the limited number of available studies and variation in interventions and outcomes measured, these findings should be interpreted with caution.