Deakin University
Browse

Additional exercise for older subacute hospital inpatients to prevent falls: benefits and barriers to implementation and evaluation

journal contribution
posted on 2007-08-01, 00:00 authored by T Haines, K Hill, K Bennell, Richard Osborne
Objective: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and implementation of a falls prevention exercise programme for preventing falls in the subacute hospital setting.

Design: Randomized controlled trial, subgroup analysis.

Participants: Patients of a metropolitan subacute/aged rehabilitation hospital who were recommended for a falls prevention exercise programme when enrolled in a larger randomized controlled trial of a falls prevention programme.

Methods: Participants in both the control and intervention groups who were recommended for the exercise programme intervention were followed for the duration of their hospital stay to determine if falls occurred. Participants had their balance, strength and mobility assessed upon referral for the exercise programme and then again prior to discharge. Participation rates in the exercise programme were also recorded.

Results: Intervention group participants in this subgroup analysis had a significantly lower incidence of falls than their control group counterparts (control: 16.0 falls/1000 participant-days, intervention: 8.2 falls/1000 participant-days, log-rank test: P = 0.007). However few differences in secondary balance, strength and mobility outcomes were evident.

Conclusion: This exercise programme provided in addition to usual care may assist in the prevention of falls in the subacute hospital setting.

History

Journal

Clinical rehabilitation

Volume

21

Issue

8

Pagination

742 - 753

Publisher

Sage Science Press

Location

London, England

ISSN

0269-2155

eISSN

1477-0873

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2007, SAGE Publications

Usage metrics

    Research Publications

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC