Preventing falls in older people: impact of an intervention to reduce environmental hazards in the home.

摘要: OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of an intervention to reduce fall hazards in homes older people. DESIGN: The was administered 570 subjects experimental arm a randomized controlled trial, with follow-up for 1 year. SETTING: Community-based seniors living Perth, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: People age 70 and older. INTERVENTION: Registered nurses delivered intervention. It consisted home hazard assessment, educational strategy on general reduction ways identified hazards, free installation safety devices: grab rails, nonslip stripping steps, double-sided tape floor rugs mats. All received 96% strategy. Grab rails were installed 77% homes, stabilized 8%, step 36%. MEASUREMENTS: Hazard prevalence assessed at baseline all 11 months later random sample 51 homes. Action taken response by self-completed postal questionnaire completed after RESULTS: had least one hazard. most prevalent mats (mean 14 per home), stepovers (Stepovers are structural changes height that designed be stepped over rather than upon, example, lip shower or bath side.) seven steps four trailing cords two home). associated small but significant five hazards. mean number unsafe reduced 1.57 house (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.91-2.24); 0.61 CI 0.28-0.94); rooms 0.43 0.10-0.76); chairs 0.10 0.02-0.18). Safety devices 81.9% Advice modifying specific assessment resulted 50% removing mats, cords, obstacles. education message prompted less activity these did advice CONCLUSIONS: Fall ubiquitous house, many study taking action only few achieving self-reported high.