Citation

Bjerk M, Brovold T, Davis JC, Skelton DA, Bergland A. Eur. J. Public Health 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Physiotherapy, OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/eurpub/ckz106

PMID

31169888

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Falls in older adults are an increasingly important public health concern due to the expanding older population and contribute considerably to the global burden of disease. Home care recipients have a high incidence of falls and a low level of health-related quality of life (HRQOL). In this understudied group of older adults, exercise interventions could prevent falls, promote HRQOL and enable healthy ageing in the longer term.

METHODS: The study is a single-blinded parallel-group randomized controlled trial, lasting 3 months with a follow-up at 6 months, conducted in primary care. The objective was to explore the effects of a falls prevention exercise programme post-intervention at a 6-month follow-up in home care recipients 67+ years with a history of falls. The Otago Exercise Programme lasting 3 months was performed. The primary outcome was HRQOL measured by the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). Linear mixed regression models and structural equation models were employed.

RESULTS: At 6-month follow-up, the intervention group scored significantly higher on SF-36's physical component summary compared with the controls; 3.0 points, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.4, 5.6. This effect was mediated by an increased probability of maintaining exercise in the post-intervention period; odds ratio = 2.3 (CI = 1.1, 5.1). Exercising was associated with a 7.1-point increase in physical component summary (CI = 3.2, 10.9).

CONCLUSION: A falls prevention exercise programme can improve physical HRQOL in home care recipients post-intervention. The exercise programme also led to longer-term changes in exercise behaviour mediating this effect.

© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Language: en