ABSTRACT
Objetivo. Evaluar la posible reducción en la incidencia de caídas y la ganancia funcional de un programa de prevención de caídas. Material y métodos. Doscientos cuarenta y nueve sujetos no institucionalizados fueron repartidos aleatoriamente en 3 grupos: el grupo intervención mensual (GIM), el cual recibió instrucción teórica sobre prevención de caídas y ejercicios que mejoran la función física y el equilibrio de forma mensual complementado con una clase práctica con la misma periodicidad. El grupo intervención trimestral (GIT), el cual recibió la misma información teórica con periodicidad trimestral. El grupo control (GC), instruido teóricamente al inicio del estudio, sin refuerzos posteriores. La duración del estudio fue de 12 meses. Resultados. Edad media 74,47 (DE: 5,33) años, mujeres: 64%. La incidencia de caídas se redujo del GIM desde el 0,64 por paciente y año en el año previo al 0,39 en el año posterior a la intervención, en el GIT desde 0,49 a 0,47 y en el GC desde se mantuvo en el 0,47, no existiendo diferencias significativas en dicha reducción entre grupos (p = 0,062). También se objetiva un descenso de la puntuación en la escala de Rizzo de 0,72 (IC 95%: 0,57-0,88) puntos, p < 0,001. Conclusión. Una intervención comunitaria interdisciplinar puede contribuir a la reducción de la incidencia de caídas, aunque estos resultados no son concluyentes. Es necesario seguir estudiando el abordaje de la incidencia de caídas en poblaciones ancianas de ámbito comunitario (AU)
Objective. To evaluate the results of a fall prevention programme designed to be applied to the elderly living in the community. Material and methods. The sample consisted of 249 participants ≥70 years of age, who were randomly assigned to one of three groups. The monthly intervention group (GIM): instructions on fall prevention and healthy exercises to improve physical function and balance at beginning of the study, and a monthly theoretical and practical refresher session. The quarterly intervention group (GIT), with the same beginning intervention and a refresher session every three months. The control group (GC), the same beginning intervention but no refresher sessions. Results. The mean age of the sample was 74.47 years (SD 5.33), with 64% women. The incidence of falls was reduced from 0.64 per patient year in the previous year to 0.39 in the post-intervention year in GIM, from 0.49 to 0.47 in GIT, and in the GC it remained at 0.47 before and twelve months after, but with no significant differences in the reduction between groups (P=.062). At the end of the study there was a decrease in Rizzo scale of 0.72 points (95% CI: 0.57-0.88, P<.001). Conclusion. An interdisciplinary community intervention programme can contribute to reducing the incidence of falls. Further studies are required to continue research into the incidence of falls in the elderly living in the community (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Aged , Accidental Falls/prevention & control , Accidental Falls/statistics & numerical data , Community Participation/methods , Family Practice/organization & administration , Risk Factors , Accident Prevention/methods , Community Health Services/methods , Community Health Services/organization & administration , Community Medicine/organization & administration , Community Medicine/standards , Longitudinal Studies/methods , Prospective Studies , Primary Prevention/methods , Primary Prevention/trendsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of a fall prevention programme designed to be applied to the elderly living in the community. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sample consisted of 249 participants ≥70 years of age, who were randomly assigned to one of three groups. The monthly intervention group (GIM): instructions on fall prevention and healthy exercises to improve physical function and balance at beginning of the study, and a monthly theoretical and practical refresher session. The quarterly intervention group (GIT), with the same beginning intervention and a refresher session every three months. The control group (GC), the same beginning intervention but no refresher sessions. RESULTS: The mean age of the sample was 74.47 years (SD 5.33), with 64% women. The incidence of falls was reduced from 0.64 per patient year in the previous year to 0.39 in the post-intervention year in GIM, from 0.49 to 0.47 in GIT, and in the GC it remained at 0.47 before and twelve months after, but with no significant differences in the reduction between groups (P=.062). At the end of the study there was a decrease in Rizzo scale of 0.72 points (95% CI: 0.57-0.88, P<.001). CONCLUSION: An interdisciplinary community intervention programme can contribute to reducing the incidence of falls. Further studies are required to continue research into the incidence of falls in the elderly living in the community.
