Problem
Falls in older persons in developing countries are poorly understood, and falls prevention and health promotion programmes for this population are largely lacking.Methods
A systematic review was carried out of relevant literature on falls and prevention programmes, and falls prevention education, and a scan undertaken of health promotion programmes for older persons in a representative country - South Africa.Results
Studies on the risk and prevalence of falls are largely retrospective and hospital-based, with varied methodology, including study period, sampling method and sample size. Falls prevalence is based largely on self-reports in studies on general trauma in all age groups. Falls incidence varies from 10.1% to 54%. No reports could be traced on sustained falls prevention or health promotion programmes.Conclusion
Scant research has been conducted and little preventive education offered on falls in older persons. Adaptation of the Canadian Falls Prevention Curriculum for developing countries will help to fill gaps in knowledge and practice.Impact on industry
With rapid increase in the populations of older persons in developing countries, research on age related disorders such as falls is required to guide policy and management of falls. 相似文献Background
Falls are a common, serious, and often unrecognized problem facing older adults. The objective of this study was to provide an initial clinical and statistical validation for a public health strategy of fall risk self-assessment by older adults using a Fall Risk Questionnaire (FRQ).Methods
Adults age 65 + (n = 40) were recruited at a Los Angeles Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility and at a local assisted living facility. Participants completed the FRQ self-assessment and results were compared to a “gold standard” of a clinical evaluation of risks using the American/British Geriatrics Society guidelines to assess independent predictors of falls: history of previous falls, fear of falling, gait/balance, muscle weakness, incontinence, sensation and proprioception, depression, vision, and medications. For the comparison, we used an iterative statistical approach, weighing items based on relative risk.Results
There was strong agreement between the FRQ and clinical evaluation (kappa = .875, p < .0001). Individual item kappa values ranged from .305-.832. After dropping one FRQ item (vision risk) because of inadequate agreement with the clinical evaluation (kappa = .139, p = .321), the final FRQ had good concurrent validity.Conclusions
The FRQ goes beyond existing screening tools in that it is based on both evidence and clinical acceptability and has been initially validated with clinical examination data. A larger validation with longitudinal follow-up should determine the actual strength of the FRQ in predicting future falls. 相似文献Problem
The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of age and health on patterns of driving and self-regulation among older adults who still drive.Method
This analysis presents the results of a nationwide survey of drivers who are 50 + (N = 3,824, 53.11% response rate), focusing on questions about the impact of their self-reported health on attitudes toward and self-regulation of driving.Results
The data indicate that as age increases, so too does reported self-regulation of driving, increasing sharply among those ages 70 and older. The data also indicate that respondent's reported confidence in driving and their enjoyment of driving decline as they age. Health status bears a significant relationship with all three of these variables, positively related to confidence in driving skills and to enjoyment in driving, but negatively related to self-regulation reports. As self-reported health declines, respondent's report engages in greater voluntary restrictions of their driving.Discussion
All too often, the driving decision is linked primarily to chronological age. Analysis done here indicates that age alone is not the best indicator of self-regulation and how older adults change their driving behaviors.Summary
This research presents the results of a nationwide survey of 50+ drivers and their self-reported driving, self-regulation behaviors, and health status. Strong support was found for the argument that chronological age is not an adequate measure of self-regulating behaviors and driver safety among those 50+. In particular, it was found that a person's health status and the interaction between age and health are essential considerations in the decisions around self-regulation and driving. People tend to self-regulate more with age, but the effect becomes much more pronounced as health status declines.Impact on industry
In the coming years, if older adults can't get to where they want to go and continue to be viable consumers in our national fabric, all industries will eventually suffer. Transportation is a key component to the nation's social contract with older individuals and their families. 相似文献Problem
Exercise-based research interventions demonstrate reduced risk and rates of falls for community dwelling older adults; however, little is known about effective mechanisms for the translation, implementation, and maintenance of these interventions in community settings.Method
The RE-AIM framework was used to assess the translatability of an effective exercise-based research intervention in a community setting. Questions included: Reach — Would the target population attend? Effectiveness — What was the adherence and compliance to the program? Were there individual improvements in falls risk factors? Adoption: Would staff at the center adopt the program and offer it past the funding period? Implementation — What adaptations, including optimal frequency and duration, should be made to meet the community needs, still adhere to core elements and achieve similar outcomes? Maintenance — Would the program be sustained by our community partners?Discussion
The process of translating a controlled research intervention targeting older adults at risk of falls into a community setting was challenging. Licensed professionals developed the infrastructure to safely and effectively deliver the program. The end product was highly appealing program to our target audience, resulted in improved outcomes and was successfully adopted and maintained by the community partner.Summary
Partnerships between community and healthcare providers are key to successful implementation of falls prevention interventions. Lessons learned from this experience can be applied to the translation of future exercise-based falls prevention interventions. 相似文献Introduction
Since 2004 the National Council on Aging (NCOA) has been working in collaboration with a growing number of national, state, and local organizations through the Falls Free© Initiative to address the growing public health issue of falls and fall-related injuries among older adults. Through collaborative leadership, evidence-based interventions, practical lifestyle adjustments, and community partnerships we are working to reduce the number of older adult falls.Impact on industry
The many activities of the national and state coalitions have brought recognition to the issue of fall prevention, education, and training to providers and greater investment in programs and services resulting in tremendous momentum and community activism. While we have yet to realize an impact on rates of falls, this strategic investment in building the infrastructure needed to affect change is the first step toward reducing the growing number of falls among older adults. 相似文献Introduction
Falls in older Australians are a significant public health issue with one in three older people falling one or more times each year.Method
Many fall prevention randomized controlled trials have been conducted in Australia as well as across the world.Results
The findings of these studies now constitute a substantial evidence base that can provide direction for health and lifestyle interventions for preventing falls in older people. This research evidence has contributed to health policy in Australia to some extent, but is yet to be widely implemented into practice. This opinion piece overviews previous policy initiatives and describes a new Partnership research program funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), which seeks to further influence health policy and address the ongoing research-practice gap. 相似文献Introduction
Self-screening by older drivers has shown considerable promise for increasing self-awareness about functional abilities associated with safe driving. The purpose of this study was to improve upon existing self-screening instruments by focusing entirely on “health concerns” that affect driving - that is, the symptoms that people experience due to medical conditions and the medications used to treat them - rather than the medical conditions or medications themselves.Method
A computer-based, easy-to-use self-screening instrument for older drivers was developed to provide individualized feedback intended to increase self-awareness about declines in driving-related abilities, as well as suggestions for behavioral changes or safety tips to maintain safe driving, further evaluation from a physician/health professional, and vehicle modifications to help compensate for driving-related declines.Results
This paper describes the development of the self-screening instrument and summarizes findings relative to increasing self-awareness among older drivers. This research represents an important first step in improving self-awareness among older drivers through self-screening. 相似文献Background
This study compared driving exposure between two high-crash-risk groups (16–17 and 18-24-year-olds), with a low-crash-risk group (35-64-year-olds). In addition, patterns of association between driving exposure measures and demographic and driving behavior variables were examined.Methods
Respondent's total miles, minutes, and trips driven were calculated within a 48-hour period, using state-wide survey data collected in 2004 and 2005.Results
The youngest drivers drove fewer miles and minutes, but a comparable number of trips as the two older groups. Employment and high vehicle access were associated with greater driving exposure for 16-17-year-olds and 18-24-year-olds. Employment, high household income, large household size, and low vehicle access were associated with greater driving exposure for 35-64-year-olds. More driving was done alone than with passengers present and during the day than at night across all ages. There was a positive association between two driving exposure measures (miles and minutes driven) and demographic and driving behavior variables, which did not extend to trips driven.Discussion
Driving exposure is directly related to stage of life. The entire sample of 16-17-year-old respondents were in high school, which directly influenced their driving times, destinations, and purpose. Those aged 18–24 years displayed driving behavior patterns that were closer to the older drivers, while retaining some differences. The oldest drivers were likely to be shouldering the greatest household responsibilities, and their greater driving exposure may reflect this reality.Impact on industry
These findings provide new information about driving exposure for two high-risk and one low-risk group of drivers. They also raise concern over potential workplace safety issues related to teens’ higher driving exposure, and concomitant crash risk, related to being employed. Future research should examine this issue more carefully so that evidence based recommendations can be made to enhance the safety of teens who are employed, especially those who are employed as drivers. 相似文献Problem
As the evidence-based movement has advanced in public health, changes in public health practices have lagged far behind creating a science to service gap. For example, science has produced effective falls prevention interventions for older adults. It now is clearer WHAT needs to be done to reduce injury and death related to falls. However, issues have arisen regarding HOW to assure the full and effective uses of evidence-based programs in practice.Summary
Lessons learned from the science and practice of implementation provide guidance for how to change practices by developing new competencies, how to change organizations to support evidence-based practices, and how to change public health systems to align system functions with desired practices. The combination of practice, organization, and system change likely will produce the public health benefits that are the promise of evidence-based falls prevention interventions.Impact on public health
For the past several decades, the emphasis has been solely on evidence-based interventions. Public health will benefit from giving equal emphasis to evidence-based implementation.Impact on Industry
We now have over two decades of research on the effectiveness of fall prevention interventions. The quality of this research is judged by a number of credible international organizations, including the Cochrane Collaboration (http://www.cochrane.org/), the American and British Geriatrics Societies, and the Campbell Collaboration (http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/). These international bodies were formed to ponder and answer questions related to the quality and relevance of research. These developments are a good first step. However, while knowing WHAT to do (an evidence-based intervention) is critical, we also need to know HOW to effectively implement the evidence. Implementation, organization change, and system change methods produce the conditions that allow and support the full and effective use of evidence-based interventions. It is time to focus on utilization of implementation knowledge in public health. Without this focus the vast amount on new evidence being generated on the prevention of falls and related injuries among older adults will have little impact on their health and safety. 相似文献Introduction
Many older drivers self-restrict or avoid driving under high-risk conditions. Little is known about the onset of driving self-restrictions or how widespread self-restrictions are among drivers of all ages.Methods
The Second Injury Control and Risk Survey (ICARIS-2) was a nationwide cross-sectional, list-assisted random-digit-dial telephone survey from 2001 to 2003. National prevalence estimates and weighted percentages of those reporting driving self-restrictions were calculated. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore associations between specific self-restrictions and age group, adjusting for other personal characteristics.Results
More than half of all drivers reported at least one driving self-restriction. The most commonly reported restriction was avoidance of driving in bad weather (47.5%), followed by at night (27.9%) and on highways or high-speed roads (19%). A greater percentage of young adult women (18-24 years) reported self-restricting in bad weather compared to women in other age groups, and the percentage of drivers self-restricting at night, in bad weather, and on highways or high-speed roads increased steeply after age 64. We found that women, those in low income groups, and those who had driven low annual mileage were more likely to self-restrict.Conclusions
In addition to assessing self-restrictions among older drivers, a new finding from our study is that self-restrictions are also quite prevalent among younger age groups. Driving self-restrictions may be better understood as a spectrum across ages in which drivers’ reasons for restriction change.Impact on industry
Future research on the ability of driving self-restrictions to reduce actual crash risk and prevent injuries is needed. 相似文献Background: Health care providers play a key role in addressing driving safety and driving retirement with older adults, but conversations about driving can be difficult. Guides exist for family members and providers, but to date less is known about the types of communication and messages older drivers want from their health care providers.
Design: A qualitative metasynthesis of studies published on or before October 10, 2014, in databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science) and grey literature was performed.
Review Methods: Twenty-two published studies representing 518 older adult drivers met the following inclusion criteria: the study (1) was about driving; (2) involved older drivers; (3) was qualitative (rather than quantitative or mixed methods); and (4) contained information on older drivers' perspectives about communication with health care providers.
Results: We identified 5 major themes regarding older adults' communication preferences: (1) driving discussions are emotionally charged; (2) context matters; (3) providers are trusted and viewed as authority figures; (4) communication should occur over a period of time rather than suddenly; and (5) older adults desire agency in the decision to stop driving.
Conclusion: Various stakeholders involved in older driver safety should consider older drivers' perspectives regarding discussions about driving. Health care providers can respect and empower older drivers—and support their family members—through tactful communication about driving safety and mobility transitions during the life course. 相似文献