Citation

Elliott S, Leland NE. Am. J. Occup. Ther. 2018; 72(4): 7204190040p1-7204190040p11.

Affiliation

Natalie E. Leland, PhD, OTR/L, BCG, FAOTA, is Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, and Adjunct Faculty, Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University, Providence, RI.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, American Occupational Therapy Association)

DOI

10.5014/ajot.2018.030494

PMID

29953828

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Accidental falls among community-dwelling older adults are preventable and increase the risk of morbidity, hospitalization, and institutionalization. We updated and broadened a 2008 systematic review examining the evidence for the effectiveness of fall prevention interventions in improving fall-related outcomes, occupational performance, quality of life, and health care facility readmissions for community-dwelling older adults.

METHOD: We searched and analyzed literature published from 2008 to 2015 from five electronic databases.

RESULTS: Fifty articles met the inclusion criteria and were critically appraised and synthesized-37 provided Level I; 5, Level II; and 8, Level III evidence. Analysis was organized into four intervention themes: single component, multicomponent, multifactorial, and population based. Mixed evidence was found for single-component and multifactorial interventions, strong evidence was found for multicomponent interventions, and moderate evidence was found for population-based interventions.

CONCLUSION: These findings can inform the delivery and integration of fall prevention interventions from acute care to community discharge.

Copyright © 2018 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Language: en