Fall Prevention Needs Assessment: An Update on Orange County Presented by: John Billimek, PhD Consultant: Juliana Fuqua,PhD.
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Fall Prevention Needs Assessment:
An Update on Orange County
Presented by:
John Billimek, PhD
Consultant:
Juliana Fuqua,PhD
Overall
• 834 older adults completed the survey, which was administered in Fall 2006 by Down with Falls Coalition members
84%16%
84%Self Administered
Other
SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS
Age
4%
8%
11%
17%
20% 21%
17%
1.40%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Age
Gender
66%
34%Female
Male
Living Situations
55%
22%11%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
House
Condo/Apartment
Senior ApartmentFacility
57% Do not live alone
Ethnicity and Language of Population
74%
10%
9%7%
CaucasianAsianHispanicOther
12%
88% English
Other
RESULTS
Prevalence of Falls and Risk Factors
Prevalence of falling
28% of respondents have experienced a fall in the past 26% of women 32% of men
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%)
Risk factors add up!
% r
epor
ting
a fa
ll on
sur
vey
RESULTS
Sources of Health Information
Sources of Health Information
88%
23% 19% 16% 14% 13%
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.
RESULTS
Motivating people to act!
Risk Perceptions and Resource Seeking
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
Who sought resources to prevent falls?
Perceived Risk – Self vs. Others
36%
83%
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
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%).
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
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
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
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
Main Themes
Older adults perceive their own risks differently than they perceive the risks of others
Education is key—but the methods used should match the target population Older adults rely on doctors for information about
falls, but doctors often don’t 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).
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