Modifying the environment: a community-based injury-reduction program for elderly residents

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Gerontology
• Injury Prevention

Background:

• Elderly residents face a high risk of unintentional home injuries.
• The Community and Home Injury Prevention Program for Seniors (CHIPPS) was established to address this issue.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the hypothesis that minor home safety modifications reduce falls, scalds, and burns in seniors.
• To evaluate the feasibility and acceptance of a community-based injury prevention program.

Main Methods:

• A one-group, pretest-posttest design was employed.
• Intervention included home safety assessments and modifications (e.g., grab bars, clutter removal).
• Self-reported falls, scalds, and burns were compared before and after the intervention.

Main Results:

• Reported falls decreased by 60% (0.81 to 0.33 falls per person-year).
• Scalds and burns were reduced to zero post-intervention.
• The intervention was feasible, costing approximately $93 in materials and 10 person-hours of labor.

Conclusions:

• Minor home safety modifications are effective in preventing falls, scalds, and burns among senior citizens.
• The CHIPPS program is a feasible and well-accepted community-based intervention for elderly injury prevention.
• Further research may be needed to account for potential differential reporting.