Effectiveness of a multifactorial falls prevention program in community-dwelling older people when compared to usual care: a randomized controlled trial

• Grant number: 12/51216-0
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: May 01, 2013 - April 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal researcher: Luiz Eugênio Garcez Leme
• Grantee: Luiz Eugênio Garcez Leme
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Falls in older people are a major global public health concern due to their costly consequences. Few randomized controlled trials have been conducted in developing countries despite their substantial predicted population ageing in coming years. This article describes the design of a randomized trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a multifactorial falls prevention program in reducing the rate of falls in Brazil. Methods/Design: This study is a multicenter parallel-group randomized trial among community-dwelling men and women aged 60 years and over, who have fallen at least once in the previous year. Participants will be recruited in multiple settings in São Paulo - Brazil and will be randomly allocated to a control group or an intervention group. The usual care control group will receive a leaflet with basic fall prevention information, a baseline fall risk factor assessment and will be referred to their clinician with a report of individual modifiable risk factors to be managed without any specific guidance. The intervention group will receive a 12-week Multifactorial Fall Prevention Program consisting of: an individualized medical management of the modifiable risk factor, a progressive on-site body balance exercise plus a home-based exercise program, an education of fallers recorded by falls diary and telephone calls over a 12 month period. Secondary outcomes measures will include risk of falling, fall-related self-efficacy score, measure of balance, mobility and strenath, health services use and difficulty with daily tasks. Data will be analyzed using the intention-to-treat principle. The incidence of falls in the intervention and control groups will be calculated and compared using negative binomial regression analysis. Discussion: This study is the first trial to be conducted in Brazil to evaluate the effectiveness of a program on falls reduction. The trial has been designed using a pragmatic approach to enhance its external validity. If this intervention is shown to reduce falls it will benefit older adults and help health care practitioners and policy makers to make better choices concerning fall prevention interventions. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DOS SANTOS, RENATO BARBOSA; LAGO, GIULIA NEVES; JENCIUS, MARIANE CHIKASAWA; BARBOSA, BIANCA ALEXANDRE; LIMA, CAMILA ASTOLPHI; PASCHOAL, SERGIO MARCIO; HILL, KEITH DAVID; LEME, LUIZ EUGENIO GARCEZ; PERRACINI, MONICA RODRIGUES. Older adults' views on barriers and facilitators to participate in a multifactorial falls prevention program: Results from Prevquedas Brasil. ARCHIVES OF GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS, v. 92, JAN-FEB 2021. Web of Science Citations: 0.

CABRAL, KELEM DE NEGREIROS; BRECH, GUILHERME CARLOS; ALONSO, ANGELICA CASTILHO; SOARES, ALINE THOMAZ; OPALEYE, DAVI CAMARA; GREVE, JULIA MARIA D'ANDREA; JACOB-FILHO, WILSON. Posturographic measures did not improve the predictive power to identify recurrent falls in community-dwelling elderly fallers. Clinics, v. 75, 2020. Web of Science Citations: 0.

CABRAL, KELEM DE NEGREIROS; PERRACINI, MONICA RODRIGUES; SOARES, ALINE THOMAZ; STEIN, FRANCINE DE CRISTO; NAKAGAWA SERA, CELISA TIEMI; TIEDEMANN, ANNE; SHERRINGTON, CATHIE; JACOB FILHO, WILSON; PACHECO PASCHOAL, SERGIO MARCIO. Effectiveness of a multifactorial falls prevention program in community-dwelling older people when compared to usual care: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial (Prevquedas Brazil). BMC GERIATRICS, v. 13, MAR 15 2013. Web of Science Citations: 6.