Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T03:16:45.655Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

How older adults would like falls prevention information delivered: fresh insights from a World Café forum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 March 2016

LINDA KHONG ,
CAROLINE BULSARA ,
KEITH D. HILL  and
ANNE-MARIE HILL
LINDA KHONG*
Affiliation:
School of Physiotherapy, Institute for Health Research, The University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, Australia.
CAROLINE BULSARA
Affiliation:
School of Nursing and Midwifery, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, Australia.
KEITH D. HILL
Affiliation:
School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science,Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
ANNE-MARIE HILL
Affiliation:
School of Physiotherapy, Institute for Health Research, The University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, Australia. School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science,Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
*
Address for correspondence: Linda Khong, School of Physiotherapy, Institute for Health Research, The University of Notre Dame Australia, 19 Mouat Street, PO Box 1225, Fremantle, Western Australia 6959, Australia E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Translation of falls prevention evidence into practice is problematic. Understanding older adults’ views about falls prevention information could enhance delivery of falls prevention, resulting in better engagement and uptake of recommended activities. The aim of this study was to examine the views and preferences of community-dwelling older adults about seeking and receiving falls prevention information. A community forum using a modified World Café approach was conducted. Participants discussed five topic areas in small groups, under the guidance of table facilitators. Perspectives were captured on paper. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify factors that influence participants’ engagement and uptake of information. Seventy-three older adults participated in the forum covering wide-ranging preferences around falls prevention information. Personal experience was considered the key influence on an older adult's decision to initiate seeking information. While health professionals were often approached, alternative sources such as public libraries, peer educators and seniors’ organisations were also favoured as credible sources of information. Older adults proposed falls prevention information should be delivered with a positive tone, coupled with highly valued qualities of respect, empathy and time to listen to foster motivation to engage in recommended activities. Consumer-focused practical strategies were proposed to potentially improve future design, communication and dissemination of falls prevention information. This improvement could enhance engagement of messages and subsequent uptake of falls prevention recommended strategies.

Keywords

accidental fallsconsumer health informationcommunity participationhealth educationqualitative research
Type
Articles
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 37 , Issue 6 , July 2017 , pp. 1179 - 1196
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arfken, C. L., Lach, H. W., Birge, S. J. and Miller, J. P. 1994. The prevalence and correlates of fear of falling in elderly persons living in the community. American Journal of Public Health, 84, 4, 565–70.Google Scholar
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013 a. Socio-economic index for areas. Technical paper, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Belconnen, Australia.Google Scholar
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013 b. Socio-economic Indexes for Areas – Postal Areas. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Belconnen, Australia.Google Scholar
Ballestas, T., Xiao, J., McEvoy, S. and Somerford, P. 2011. The Epidemiology of Injury in Western Australia, 2000–2008. Department of Health WA, Perth, Australia.Google Scholar
Braun, V. and Clarke, V. 2013. Quality criteria and techniques for qualitative research. In Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (eds), Successful Qualitative Research: A Practical Guide for Beginners. Sage, London, 277–95.Google Scholar
Brown, J. and Isaacs, D. 2005. The World Café: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter. Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc, San Francisco CA.Google Scholar
Bulsara, C., Khong, L., Hill, K. D. and Hill, A.-M. Investigating community perspectives regarding preferences for falls prevention education using a World Cafe approach. Journal of Community Psychology, in press.Google Scholar
Bunn, F., Dickinson, A., Barnett-Page, E., McInnes, E. and Horton, K. 2008. A systematic review of older people's perceptions of facilitators and barriers to participation in falls-prevention interventions. Ageing & Society, 28, 4, 449–72.Google Scholar
Culos-Reed, S. N., Rejeski, W. J., McAuley, E., Ockene, J. K. and Roter, D. L. 2000. Predictors of adherence to behavior change interventions in the elderly. Control Clinical Trials, 21, 5 supplement, 200S–5S.Google Scholar
Dickinson, A., Machen, I., Horton, K., Jain, D., Maddex, T. and Cove, J. 2011 a. Fall prevention in the community: what older people say they need. British Journal of Community Nursing, 16, 4, 174–80.Google Scholar
Dickinson, A., Horton, K., Machen, I., Bunn, F., Cove, J., Jain, D. and Maddex, T. 2011 b. The role of health professionals in promoting the uptake of fall prevention interventions: a qualitative study of older people's views. Age and Ageing, 40, 6, 724–30.Google Scholar
Dollard, J., Barton, C., Newbury, J. and Turnbull, D. 2012. Falls in old age: a threat to identity. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 21, 17/18, 2617–25.Google Scholar
Dorresteijn, T. A., Rixt Zijlstra, G. A., Van Eijs, Y. J., Vlaeyen, J. W. and Kempen, G. I. 2012. Older people's preferences regarding programme formats for managing concerns about falls. Age and Ageing, 41, 4, 474–81.Google Scholar
Egger, G., Spark, R. and Donovan, R. 2013. Health Promotion Strategies and Methods. McGraw-Hill Education, North Ryde, Australia.Google Scholar
El-Khoury, F., Cassou, B., Latouche, A., Aegerter, P., Charles, M. A. and Dargent-Molina, P. 2015. Effectiveness of two year balance training programme on prevention of fall induced injuries in at risk women aged 75–85 living in community: Ossebo randomised controlled trial. BMJ, 351, h3830.Google Scholar
Fouche, C. and Light, G. 2011. An invitation to dialogue ‘The World Cafe’ in social work research. Qualitative Social Work, 10, 1, 28–48.Google Scholar
Gillespie, L. D., Robertson, M. C., Gillespie, W. J., Sherrington, C., Gates, S., Clemson, L. M. and Lamb, S. E. 2012. Interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database Systematic Review, 9, 11, 420.Google Scholar
Haines, T. P., Day, L., Hill, K. D., Clemson, L. and Finch, C. 2014. ‘Better for others than for me’: a belief that should shape our efforts to promote participation in falls prevention strategies. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 59, 1, 136–44.Google Scholar
Haines, T. P., Hill, A. M., Hill, K. D., McPhail, S., Oliver, D., Brauer, S., Hoffmann, T. and Beer, C. 2011. Patient education to prevent falls among older hospital inpatients: a randomized controlled trial. Archives of Internal Medicine, 171, 6, 516–24.Google Scholar
Hill, A.-M., Hoffmann, T., Beer, C., McPhail, S., Hill, K. D., Oliver, D., Brauer, S. G. and Haines, T. P. 2011 a. Falls after discharge from hospital: is there a gap between older peoples’ knowledge about falls prevention strategies and the research evidence? Gerontologist, 51, 5, 653–62.Google Scholar
Hill, A.-M., Hoffmann, T., McPhail, S., Beer, C., Hill, K. D., Brauer, S. G. and Haines, T. P. 2011 b. Factors associated with older patients’ engagement in exercise after hospital discharge. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 92, 9, 1395–403.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Host, D., Hendriksen, C. and Borup, I. 2011. Older people's perception of and coping with falling, and their motivation for fall-prevention programmes. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 39, 7, 742–48.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jones, H. M., McKenzie, A., Miers, S., Russell, E., Watkins, R. E., Payne, J. M., Hayes, L., Carter, M., D'Antoine, H., Latimer, J., Wilkins, A., Mutch, R. C., Burns, L., Fitzpatrick, J. P., Halliday, J., O'Leary, C. M., Peadon, E., Elliott, E. J. and Bower, C. 2013. Involving consumers and the community in the development of a diagnostic instrument for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in Australia. Health Research Policy and Systems, 11, 26, Doi: 10.1186/1478-4505-11-26.Google Scholar
Khong, L., Farringdon, F., Hill, K. D. and Hill, A.-M. 2015. ‘We are all one together’: peer educators’ views about falls prevention education for community-dwelling older adults – a qualitative study. BMC Geriatrics, 15, 1.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lamb, S. E. and Lamb, J. E. 2015. Better balance, fewer falls. BMJ, 351, h3930.Google Scholar
Lee, D. C., McDermott, F., Hoffmann, T. and Haines, T. P. 2013. ‘They will tell me if there is a problem’: limited discussion between health professionals, older adults and their caregivers on falls prevention during and after hospitalization. Health Education Research, 28, 6, 1051–1066.Google Scholar
Lorig, K. R., Ritter, P. L. and Gonzalez, V. M. 2003. Hispanic chronic disease self-management: a randomized community-based outcome trial. Nursing Research, 52, 6, 361–9.Google Scholar
Michie, S., Johnston, M., Abraham, C., Lawton, R., Parker, D., Walker, A. and Grp, P. T. 2005. Making psychological theory useful for implementing evidence based practice: a consensus approach. Quality & Safety in Health Care, 14, 1, 26–33.Google Scholar
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M. and Saldana, J. 2014. Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook. Sage, Thousand Oaks, California.Google Scholar
Nilsen, E. S., Myrhaug, H. T., Johansen, M., Oliver, S. and Oxman, A. D. 2006. Methods of consumer involvement in developing healthcare policy and research, clinical practice guidelines and patient information material. Cochrane Database Systematic Review, 3, CD004563.Google Scholar
Nyman, S. R., Hogarth, H. A., Ballinger, C. and Victor, C. R. 2011. Representations of old age in falls prevention websites: implications for likely uptake of advice by older people. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74, 8, 366–74.Google Scholar
Nyman, S. R. and Victor, C. R. 2012. Older people's participation in and engagement with falls prevention interventions in community settings: an augment to the Cochrane systematic review. Age and Ageing, 41, 1, 16–23.Google Scholar
Peel, N. M. and Warburton, J. 2009. Using senior volunteers as peer educators: what is the evidence of effectiveness in falls prevention? Australasian Journal on Ageing, 28, 1, 7–11.Google Scholar
QSR International 2012. NVivo 10 [computer software]. QSR International, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Scheffer, A. C., Schuurmans, M. J., van Dijk, N., van der Hooft, T. and de Rooij, S. E. 2008. Fear of falling: measurement strategy, prevalence, risk factors and consequences among older persons. Age and Ageing, 37, 1, 19–24.Google Scholar
Swerissen, H., Belfrage, J., Weeks, A., Jordan, L., Walker, C., Furler, J., McAvoy, B., Carter, M. and Peterson, C. 2006. A randomised control trial of a self-management program for people with a chronic illness from Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Greek backgrounds. Patient Education and Counseling, 64, 1–3, 360–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tinetti, M. E., De Leon, C. F. M., Doucette, J. T. and Baker, D. I. 1994. Fear of falling and fall-related efficacy in relationship to functioning among community-living elders. Journal of Gerontology, 49, 3, M140–7.Google Scholar
Tzeng, H. M. and Yin, C. Y. 2014. Most and least helpful aspects of fall prevention education to prevent injurious falls: a qualitative study on nurses’ perspectives. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 23, 17/18, 2676–9.Google Scholar
Wallerstein, N. B. and Duran, B. 2006. Using community-based participatory research to address health disparities. Health Promotion Practice, 7, 3, 312–23.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wlodkowski, R. J. 2008. Enhancing Adult Motivation to Learn: A Comprehensive Guide for Teaching All Adults. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.Google Scholar
Yardley, L., Beyer, N., Hauer, K., McKee, K., Ballinger, C. and Todd, C. 2007. Recommendations for promoting the engagement of older people in activities to prevent falls. Quality & Safety in Health Care, 16, 3, 230–4.Google Scholar
Yardley, L., Donovan-Hall, M., Francis, K. and Todd, C. 2006. Older people's views of advice about falls prevention: a qualitative study. Health Education Research, 21, 4, 508–17.Google Scholar