Introduction
One of the most common challenges among older people is falling. The main effects of falling include disability, poor quality of life, and economic constraints due to the financial costs of treatment and rehabilitation (Soriano, DeCherrie, & Thomas, 2007). America spends a lot of money on falls. Therefore, many research studies have been conducted by both government agencies and individuals to mitigate the problem. Many strategies can be used to prevent falls among older people. These interventions can be classified into three groups namely single interventions, multi-component interventions, and multiple component interventions (Soriano et al., 2007). This paper summarizes the findings of a study that involved multi-component interventions.
Background of study
The research study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of various multi-component interventions implemented in communities to prevent falls among older people. Falls among older people is a major health issue that has severe financial and physical implications for victims and their families. The effects of falls include disability, reduced morbidity, and low quality of life (Steinberg, Cartwright, Peel, & Williams, 2000). This issue is an important study topic because of its effects on communities and society. Falls among older people is an issue that is significant to nursing because of the role nurses play in primary care delivery. On the other hand, it is a public health issue that needs great attention. Nurses play an important role in providing primary care especially to the aged population (Soriano et al., 2007). The findings of the study can be used to improve nursing practice and the health outcomes of the aged population. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of various fall interventions in reducing the frequency of falls among older people. The objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of multi-component interventions in the reduction of falls among older people (Steinberg et al., 2000). The hypothesis to be tested was those fall incidences would largely decline after the implementation of intervention strategies. The interventions targeted certain risk factors that increase the likelihood of slips, falls, and trips in communities that house older people. Several concepts associated with falls were also included in the study to make it thorough. These concepts include slips and trips. Slips and trips were included in the study because they are the most common risk factors for falls among the aged population.
Method of study
The study adopted a quantitative study method that involved the daily collection of data from participants for two years. Each participant was given a calendar to record any occurrence of a slip, trip, or fall. The participants recorded the number of times each of the three events occurred daily. Details of each event were also recorded. The research design involved four groups with approximately the same number of participants and the use of Cox’s proportional hazard regression model to compute hazard ratios. S statistical tool known as EGRET was used to analyze data. The participants were randomly allocated to the four interventions used in the study. The four intervention strategies included home safety advice, education and awareness, physical exercise, and medical assessment to improve health outcomes (Steinberg et al., 2000). The researchers used an “add on” approach to applying the various strategies in different situations. There was a control group, and the outcome of interest was the occurrence of a slip, trip, or fall. The occurrence of these events was monitored daily and recorded on a calendar diary that was given to each of the participants. The sample included 252 participants who were all above the age of 50 and belonged to the National Seniors Association (Steinberg et al., 2000). Each of the groups had between 65 and 70 participants. The procedure involved the collection of data regarding the frequency of falls, trips, and slips among the participants. The participants recorded the number of occurrences of each of the three events for two years. They also included any additional information regarding individual incidents.
Results of the study
The researchers found out that effective, low-cost, and sustainable interventions can be implemented to reduce slips, falls, and trips among older people. The study used Cox’s proportional hazards, regression model, to analyze the data and compare the effectiveness of the results against those of the control group. The hazard ratios ranged from 0.35 to 0.48 for slips, 060 to 0.82 for falls, and 0.29 to 0.45 for trips (Steinberg et al., 2000). After a year of conducting the study, there was a 61% reduction in slips, 56% reduction in trips, and 29% reduction in slips (Steinberg et al., 2000). The results showed that the four intervention strategies were effective in reducing the prevalence of falls, slips, and trips among older people. These findings have several implications for nursing. They demonstrate the need for nurses to work in collaboration with communities to introduce programs to reduce falls among older people. The satisfaction experienced by participants is proof that nurses can use the findings to mitigate the public health issue and improve the health and wellbeing of older people. The results could be used to improve nursing practice, education, and administration. The strategies were proven to be effective and therefore could be incorporated into training programs as examples of efficacious strategies to address the issue in older people. In addition, administration groups can use the findings to create and implement programs to mitigate the problem in communities. Finally, nurses can use the findings to improve their practice in care delivery involving older people with fall issues.
Ethical considerations
The study was approved by the Behavioral and Social Sciences Ethical Review Committee of the University of Queensland (Steinberg et al., 2000). All participants gave their consent to participate. Their privacy was protected because the collection of the data was self-directed. They monitored their daily activities and recorded an occurrence of a slip, trip, or fall. There were ethical considerations regarding the application of the intervention strategies because of the participant’s health conditions. As a result, researchers used available government and community resources to implement the strategies. For example, they used the resources to ensure the security and safety of participants.
Conclusion
Falls are classified as a public health concern because they are very common among older people and have severe financial and health consequences. The foregoing summary has shown that several intervention strategies can be implemented to reduce the prevalence of falls among older people. These strategies include education and awareness, physical exercise, home safety advice, and medical assessment. The study was exhaustive because it involved four groups that were assigned randomly to the intervention strategies and were conducted for two years. The results of the study can be used in nursing to improve education, practice, and administration. Multi-component interventions are effective in the reduction of falls, slips, and trips among older people as demonstrated by the research study.
References
Soriano, T. A., DeCherrie, L. V., & Thomas, D. C. (2007). Falls in Community-Dwelling Older Adult: A Review for Primary-Care providers. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 2(4), 545-553.
Steinberg, M., Cartwright, C., Peel, N., & Williams, G. (2000). A Sustainable Programme To Prevent Falls and Near Falls in Community Dwelling Older People: Results of a Randomised Trial. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 54, 227-232.