Falls and Fear of Falling among Persons Who Receive Housing Adaptations—Results from a Quasi-Experimental Study in Sweden
While health might deteriorate through the ageing and disablement process, the impacts of disability can be reduced by adapting the environment. This study aimed to investigate the effects of applying a standardized research-based strategy to housing adaptation as compared to ordinary practice with...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2017-09-01
|
Series: | Healthcare |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/5/4/66 |
id |
doaj-5bec1c3c2ef846379e51dfaec9ac05e5 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-5bec1c3c2ef846379e51dfaec9ac05e52020-11-24T21:45:37ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322017-09-01546610.3390/healthcare5040066healthcare5040066Falls and Fear of Falling among Persons Who Receive Housing Adaptations—Results from a Quasi-Experimental Study in SwedenGunilla Carlsson0Maria H. Nilsson1Lisa Ekstam2Carlos Chiatti3Agneta Malmgren Fänge4Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Box 157, SE-221 00 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Health Sciences, Lund University, Box 157, SE-221 00 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Health Sciences, Lund University, Box 157, SE-221 00 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Health Sciences, Lund University, Box 157, SE-221 00 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Health Sciences, Lund University, Box 157, SE-221 00 Lund, SwedenWhile health might deteriorate through the ageing and disablement process, the impacts of disability can be reduced by adapting the environment. This study aimed to investigate the effects of applying a standardized research-based strategy to housing adaptation as compared to ordinary practice with respect to falls and fear of falling. Another aim was to investigate the overall effects of housing adaptations on fall-related outcomes over time. In total, 196 clients were included at baseline, with follow-up at 3 and 6 months after the housing adaptation was implemented. The only significant difference between the two approaches was identified with respect to fear of falling at 3 months after the housing adaptation, but not after 6 months. The number of clients reporting actual falls increased over time in both sites, whereas the number of reported near-falls decreased most in the intervention site, but without significant differences. Thus, the patterns of differences between the sites are inconsistent, as are the patterns of change in fall-related outcomes. An overall conclusion is that if the goal is to improve fall-related outcomes, housing adaptation should be complemented with other interventions preventing falls and explicitly address the clients’ activity limitations. In addition, longer follow-up times are necessary.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/5/4/66active ageingfrailtyhome modificationinterventiondisabilitycontrolled trial |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Gunilla Carlsson Maria H. Nilsson Lisa Ekstam Carlos Chiatti Agneta Malmgren Fänge |
spellingShingle |
Gunilla Carlsson Maria H. Nilsson Lisa Ekstam Carlos Chiatti Agneta Malmgren Fänge Falls and Fear of Falling among Persons Who Receive Housing Adaptations—Results from a Quasi-Experimental Study in Sweden Healthcare active ageing frailty home modification intervention disability controlled trial |
author_facet |
Gunilla Carlsson Maria H. Nilsson Lisa Ekstam Carlos Chiatti Agneta Malmgren Fänge |
author_sort |
Gunilla Carlsson |
title |
Falls and Fear of Falling among Persons Who Receive Housing Adaptations—Results from a Quasi-Experimental Study in Sweden |
title_short |
Falls and Fear of Falling among Persons Who Receive Housing Adaptations—Results from a Quasi-Experimental Study in Sweden |
title_full |
Falls and Fear of Falling among Persons Who Receive Housing Adaptations—Results from a Quasi-Experimental Study in Sweden |
title_fullStr |
Falls and Fear of Falling among Persons Who Receive Housing Adaptations—Results from a Quasi-Experimental Study in Sweden |
title_full_unstemmed |
Falls and Fear of Falling among Persons Who Receive Housing Adaptations—Results from a Quasi-Experimental Study in Sweden |
title_sort |
falls and fear of falling among persons who receive housing adaptations—results from a quasi-experimental study in sweden |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Healthcare |
issn |
2227-9032 |
publishDate |
2017-09-01 |
description |
While health might deteriorate through the ageing and disablement process, the impacts of disability can be reduced by adapting the environment. This study aimed to investigate the effects of applying a standardized research-based strategy to housing adaptation as compared to ordinary practice with respect to falls and fear of falling. Another aim was to investigate the overall effects of housing adaptations on fall-related outcomes over time. In total, 196 clients were included at baseline, with follow-up at 3 and 6 months after the housing adaptation was implemented. The only significant difference between the two approaches was identified with respect to fear of falling at 3 months after the housing adaptation, but not after 6 months. The number of clients reporting actual falls increased over time in both sites, whereas the number of reported near-falls decreased most in the intervention site, but without significant differences. Thus, the patterns of differences between the sites are inconsistent, as are the patterns of change in fall-related outcomes. An overall conclusion is that if the goal is to improve fall-related outcomes, housing adaptation should be complemented with other interventions preventing falls and explicitly address the clients’ activity limitations. In addition, longer follow-up times are necessary. |
topic |
active ageing frailty home modification intervention disability controlled trial |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/5/4/66 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT gunillacarlsson fallsandfearoffallingamongpersonswhoreceivehousingadaptationsresultsfromaquasiexperimentalstudyinsweden AT mariahnilsson fallsandfearoffallingamongpersonswhoreceivehousingadaptationsresultsfromaquasiexperimentalstudyinsweden AT lisaekstam fallsandfearoffallingamongpersonswhoreceivehousingadaptationsresultsfromaquasiexperimentalstudyinsweden AT carloschiatti fallsandfearoffallingamongpersonswhoreceivehousingadaptationsresultsfromaquasiexperimentalstudyinsweden AT agnetamalmgrenfange fallsandfearoffallingamongpersonswhoreceivehousingadaptationsresultsfromaquasiexperimentalstudyinsweden |
_version_ |
1725905376506806272 |