The Relation between Functional Performance, Falls and Previous Falls Among Participants in the Otago Programme: A Secondary Data Analysis

María Consuelo Company-Sancho, Emma Alonso-Poncelas, Manuel Rich-Ruiz, María Ángeles Cidoncha-Moreno, Ana Gonzalez-Pisano, Eva Abad-Corpa and on behalf of Otago Project Working Group
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María Consuelo Company-Sancho: Health Promotion Service, Directorate General for Public Health, Canary Islands Health Service, 35003 Las Palmas, Spain
Emma Alonso-Poncelas: Quality Department, Lanzarote Health Services Management, Canary Islands Health Service, 35500 Arrecife, Spain
Manuel Rich-Ruiz: Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research (IMIBIC), University of Cordoba (UCO), Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía (HURS), 14004 Cordoba, Spain
María Ángeles Cidoncha-Moreno: General Head Office of Osakidetza, Basque Health Service, Subdirection of Nursing, IIS Bioaraba, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Ana Gonzalez-Pisano: Health Service of the Principado of Asturias, 33011 Oviedo, Spain
Eva Abad-Corpa: CIBER on Frailty and Healthy Ageing (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
on behalf of Otago Project Working Group: Otago Project Working Group: Laura Albornos-Muñoz (principal investigator), Teresa Moreno-Casbas, Pilar Rodríguez-Baz, Ana Bays-Moneo, Laura Pruneda González, Dawn Skelton, Chris Todd, Rebecca Townley, Eva Abad-Corpa, Pedro L. Pancorbo-Hidalgo, Oscar Caño-Blasco, María Ángeles Cidoncha-Moreno, María Solé Agusti, Manuel Rich-Ruiz, Ana Covadonga González Pisano, Jerónima Miralles-Xamena, Consuelo Company-Sancho, Rosa María López-Pisa, Joan Blanco-Blanco and Araceli Rivera-Alvarez

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 12, 1-9

Abstract: Fall prevention is a key priority in healthcare policies. Multicomponent exercises reduce the risk of falls. The purpose of this study is to describe the relationship between functional performance and falls after following the Otago multicomponent exercise programme and previous falls. A prospective multi-centre intervention study was performed on 498 patients aged over 65 in primary care, with or without a history of previous falls. Sociodemographic, anthropometric and functionality data were collected. The primary outcome was the occurrence of falls; functional performance was measured using the Tinetti, Short Physical Performance Battery and Timed Up and Go tests. Among the patients, 29.7% referred to previous falls. There was a statistically significant ( p < 0.001) increase in falls at 6 months (10.1%) and at 12 months (7.6%) among participants with previous falls in the baseline assessment compared to those without. In addition, the existence of previous falls could be considered a risk factor at 6 and 12 months (OR =2.37, p = 0.002, and OR = 1.76, p = 0.046, respectively). With regard to balance and gait, differences between the groups were observed at 6 months in the Tinetti score ( p < 0.001) and in the baseline assessment Timed Up and Go score ( p < 0.044). Multicomponent exercises improve the fall rate, balance and gait in older people, although this improvement is less in people with previous falls. Earlier intervention and tailoring of exercises in patients with previous falls could help improve outcomes.

Keywords: falls; elderly; community; primary care; prevention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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