Effect of a Collaborative Care Training Program on Fear of Falling in the Elderly

Abstract

Objectives Falling is common among the elderly which can lead to dependency, reduced self-efficacy, depression, reduced quality of life, and impose costs on the individual, family and society. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of a collaborative care training program on fear of falling in the elderly. Methods & Materials This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 72 older people aged 71.34±7.47 years referred to the comprehensive health centers in Isfahan, Iran in 2019, who were selected using a convenience sampling method. They were randomly divided into two groups of training and control. The intervention group participated in a collaborative care program for 12 weeks, while the control group participated in two 60-minute educational sessions. The data were collected using a demographic form and the Falls Efficacy Scale International questionnaire completed before, immediately, and three months after intervention. The entry criteria included: Age >60 years, no psychological problems, not participating in previous studies, and experiencing a fall. On the other hand, the exit criteria included: Decreased consciousness after entering the study, unwillingness to continue, and death. SPSS software v. 21 was used for data analysis by chi-square test, Mann–Whitney U test, independent t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA. Results In the training group, the mean scores of fear of falling were significantly different between the three evaluation times (P<0.05). The results of Least Significant Difference (LSD) post hoc test showed that the mean post-test score of fear of falling was significantly lower than the pretest score in the training group. Furthermore, it showed that the mean score of fear of falling in the 3-month follow-up period was lower than the post-test score (P<0.001). Conclusion The collaborative care training program can reduce fear of falling and prevent falls in the elderly. Therefore, it is recommended to use this program in order to teach patients and their families how to reduce fear of falling. © 2021