Publication: Effects of a health education program on fall risk prevention among the urban elderly: A Quasi-experimental study
Issued Date
2019-01-16
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ISSN
22516093
22516085
22516085
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2-s2.0-85060856061
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Iranian Journal of Public Health. Vol.48, No.1 (2019), 103-111
Suggested Citation
Piyathida Kuhirunyaratn, Prasert Prasomrak, Bangonsri Jindawong Effects of a health education program on fall risk prevention among the urban elderly: A Quasi-experimental study. Iranian Journal of Public Health. Vol.48, No.1 (2019), 103-111. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/51962
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Title
Effects of a health education program on fall risk prevention among the urban elderly: A Quasi-experimental study
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Abstract
© 2019, Iranian Journal of Public Health. All rights reserved. Background: Elderly falls increase dramatically with age and are a leading cause of injury, carrying a risk of loss of independence and death. We studied the effects of a health education program on fall-risk prevention among urban elderly persons in the municipality of Khon Kaen, Thailand. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2 communities. The calculated sample size was 216 individuals: 108 for intervention and 108 for control, all of whom were 60 or older, and registered at the Sam-lium Primary Care Unit (SPCU). The educational intervention was a fall risk intervention program by an elderly buddy. A structured questionnaire that incorporated questions from the Thai Fall Risk Assessment Tool (Thai-FRAT) was used to collect general and specific information. Data were analyzed using the independent sample t-test and ϰ 2 , with P<0.05 being statistically significant. Results: The response rate was 94.4%. More than half of the respondents were at risk of a fall. The prevalence of risk of a fall among the intervention group was slightly less than that for those within the control group [In-tervention group=52.9% (95%CI: 42.85, 62.81, P<0.001); Control group=60.8% (95%CI: 50.59, 70.15, P=0.016)]. After 6 months of intervention, the balance impairment, medicine usage, and overall proportion with risk of fall were decreased. The difference between the intervention and control groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: The provision of a health education program designed for fall risk prevention among the elderly would be a useful public health initiative.