Effect of a multifactorial, interdisciplinary intervention on risk factors for falls and fall rate in frail older people: a randomised controlled trial
Background: frail older people have a high risk of falling.Objective: assess the effect of a frailty intervention on risk factors for falls and fall rates in frail older people.Design: randomised controlled trial.Participants: 241 community-dwelling people aged 70+ without severe cognitive impairment who met the Cardiovascular Health Study frailty definition.Intervention: multifactorial, interdisciplinary intervention targeting frailty characteristics with an individualised home exercise programme prescribed in 10 home visits from a physiotherapist and interdisciplinary management of medical, psychological and social problems.Measurements: risk factors for falls were measured using the Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA) and mobility measures at 12 months by a blinded assessor. Falls were monitored with calendars.Results: participants had a mean (SD) age of 83.3 (5.9) years, 68% were women and 216 (90%) completed the study. After 12 months the intervention group had significantly better performance than the control group, after controlling for baseline values, in the PPA components of quadriceps strength (between-group difference 1.84 kg, 95% CI 0.17-3.51, P = 0.03) and body sway (-90.63 mm, 95% CI -168.6 to -12.6, P = 0.02), short physical performance battery (1.58, 95% CI 1.02-2.14, P ≤ 0.001) and 4 m walk (0.06 m/s 95% CI 0.01-0.10, P = 0.02) with a trend toward a better total PPA score (-0.40, 95% CI -0.83-0.04, P = 0.07) but no difference in fall rates (incidence rate ratio 1.12, 95% CI 0.78-1.63, P = 0.53).Conclusion: the intervention improved performance on risk factors for falls but did not reduce the rate of falls.Trial registration: ACTRN12608000250336.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 21. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 24 March 2026.
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