Fall Prevention Needs Assessment:

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• Fall Prevention Needs Assessment
• An Update on Orange County
• Presented by
• John Billimek, PhD
• Consultant
• Juliana Fuqua,PhD

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Overall

• 834 older adults completed the survey, which was
  administered in Fall 2006 by Down with Falls
  Coalition members

84
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SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS
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Age
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Gender
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Living Situations
57 Do not live alone
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Ethnicity and Language of Population
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RESULTSPrevalence of Falls and Risk Factors
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Prevalence of falling

• 28 of respondents have experienced a fall in the
  past
• 26 of women
• 32 of men

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6 Risk factors for falls

• Living alone (40 of respondents)
• Age over 70 (77)
• Exercise 2 or fewer days per week (39)
• Take over 6 medications per day (44)
• Live in a house (not a condo/apartment) (45)
• Use a walking aid (44)

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Risk factors add up!
reporting a fall on survey
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RESULTSSources of Health Information
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Sources of Health Information
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How Sources of Health Information Differ Between
Groups
English Speaking Non-English Speaking
Healthcare Providers Friends Internet Medical Books Senior/Community Centers

• A very high proportion of respondents in all
  groups reported doctors as a key source
• Reliance on other sources like family, friends
  and other health care providers did not differ
  widely across groups.

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RESULTSMotivating people to act!Risk
Perceptions and Resource Seeking
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What sorts of resources exist for fall prevention?

• Programs that teach you how to prevent falls
• Balance and mobility classes
• Hospital and medical group education programs
• Educational materials
• Lectures/seminars
• Literature (brochures, flyers, newsletters)
• Medical Intervention
• Regular medication review
• Physical therapy sessions
• Medical assessments by public health nurses
• Home Modifications

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Who sought resources to prevent falls?
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Perceived Risk Self vs. Others
Participants were much more likely to say that
Falling is a problem for people in my age group
(83) than to indicate they think their own risk
is moderate or higher (36).
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Nature of Perceived Risk

• In addition to looking at how high or low people
  estimate their fall risk to be, we looked at the
  nature of the risk factors they thought to be
  more important.

• Internal Risk Factors on Survey
• Problems with balance
• Muscle weakness
• Dizziness
• Vision problems
• Medical conditions
• Arthritis

• External Risk Factors on Survey
• Stairs
• Position changes
• Footwear
• Uneven surfaces
• Poor lighting
• Pets
• Clutter

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Who sought resources?Level of Perceived Risk
No history of falls
Fell in the past

• Among non-fallers with an external risk
  orientation, the likelihood of seeking resources
  does not increase with a higher level of
  perceived risk
• With an internal risk orientation, likelihood of
  seeking resources increases, especially with a
  high level of perceived risk

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Who sought resources?Nature of Perceived Risk
No history of falls
Fell in the past

• Among non-fallers with an external risk
  orientation, the likelihood of seeking resources
  does not increase with a higher level of
  perceived risk
• With an internal risk orientation, likelihood of
  seeking resources increases, especially with a
  high level of perceived risk

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Who sought resources?Level and Nature of Risk
Perception
No history of falls
Fell in the past

• Among non-fallers with an external risk
  orientation, the likelihood of seeking resources
  does not increase with a higher level of
  perceived risk
• With an internal risk orientation, likelihood of
  seeking resources increases, especially with a
  high level of perceived risk

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Main Themes

• Older adults perceive their own risks differently
  than they perceive the risks of others
• Education is keybut the methods used should
  match the target population
• Older adults rely on doctors for information
  about falls, but doctors often dont provide it.
• Internet and printed resources seemed especially
  valuable for English speakers
• Community and Senior centers seemed most valuable
  for non-English speakers
• Level vs. Nature education should include types
  of risks (internal vs. external), not just the
  level of perceived risk (high vs. low).