Online Program

294772
Fall prevention: A view from preventive and behavioral medicine and epidemiology


Monday, November 4, 2013 : 12:50 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Wenjun Li, PhD, Health Statistics and Geography Lab, Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA
In this session, we will discuss the wide variations in exposure to environmental risk factors for falls due to heterogeneity in behaviors and health conditions of older adults, and the implications to future prevention strategies. Using data from Mobilize Boston Study, I will show how place- and activity-specific rates of falling vary according to an older adult's time and space use. We will then discuss the need and possibility of “personalized” falls prevention approaches, and strategies for communicating fall risks and risk factors to older adults, their families and caregivers.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Epidemiology
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related research
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
Describe fall prevention approaches for older adults from the viewpoint of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, and Epidemiology. Discuss public health approaches and collaborative strategies.

Keyword(s): Elderly, Injury Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present this information because: I have been the principal investigator of multiple federally funded grants focusing on the epidemiology and prevention of falls and fall injuries, and traumatic injuries. I have published as lead/senior author or a co-author on more than 10 peer-reviewed articles on falls and fall injuries.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.