Development and Dissemination of STEADI—a CDC Fall Prevention Tool Kit

Falls among older adults are a significant public health issue. Research shows that, in a clinical setting, assessing and addressing an individual's fall risk factors can reduce falls. The American and British Geriatrics Societies (AGS/BGS) have published a practice guideline to promote fall risk assessment and treatment. However, interviews with 18 U.S. healthcare providers found that 94% were unaware of the AGS/BGS guideline and 67% did not routinely screen older patients for fall risk. To facilitate changing primary care to include fall prevention, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Injury Center developed STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries), a tool kit for healthcare providers. In developing the tool kit, CDC incorporated the AGS/GBS clinical guideline, applied a theoretical framework, conducted formative research with healthcare providers, and consulted with subject matter experts. The STEADI tool kit is a comprehensive resource that contains healthcare provider resources as well as patient educational materials. It is designed to help primary care providers incorporate fall risk assessment and individualized interventions into clinical practice. The state health departments in Colorado, New York and Oregon will disseminate STEADI through health care organizations including private practices, HMOs, and hospital outpatient clinics. Each state will use a different dissemination approach, based on the evidence-based theory of diffusion of innovation, with the goal of helping primary care providers integrate STEADI into clinical practice. This presentation will describe the development of the STEADI tool kit, describe its components, and compare and contrast the three dissemination strategies.