141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

291260
Health indicators associated with falls among older women enrolled in an evidence-based program

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 2:54 PM - 3:06 PM

Matthew Lee Smith, PhD, MPH, CHES , Department of Health Promotion and Behavior, The University of Georgia, College of Public Health, Athens, GA
Jinmyoung Cho, PhD , Center for Applied Health Research/School of Rural Public Health, Scott & White Healthcare/Texas A&M Health Science Center, CollegeStation, TX
SangNam Ahn, PhD, MPSA , Division of Health Systems Management and Policy, The University of Memphis School of Public Health, Memphis, TN
Lindsay Prizer, MSW, LCSW , Department of Health Promotion & Behavior, College of Public Health, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Kay Graham, MOT, OTR/L , School of Occupational Therapy, Brenau University, Gainesville, GA
Marcia Ory, PhD, MPH , Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M HSC School of Rural Public Health, College Station, TX
Background. Aging women are disproportionately burdened by fall-related injuries. Although more women than men participate in evidence-based fall-prevention programs, less is known about the relationship between older female participants' baseline health status and self-reported falls over the course of the intervention.

Objectives. Using data from A Matter of Balance/Volunteer Lay Leader Model (AMOB/VLL) workshops, this study examines female participants' socio-demographics and baseline health indicators associated with self-reported falls at baseline and 8-week follow-up.

Methods. Data were analyzed from 814 older women (mean age=76.2 years) collected during the statewide AMOB/VLL dissemination in Texas. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify socio-demographics and baseline health indicators associated with four different fall scenarios: no falls at baseline or follow-up; fall at baseline only; falls at baseline and follow-up; and fall at follow-up only.

Results. Approximately 73% reported no falls at either time point, 12.7% reported falling at baseline only, 8.1% reported falling at baseline and follow-up, and 6.6% reported falling at follow-up only. Relative to women reporting no falls at either time point, those who reported falling at baseline were less likely to be Hispanic [P=0.024] and more likely to report unhealthy physical days in the previous month [P=0.002]. Women who reported falling at baseline and follow-up were less likely to be African American [P=0.041] and more likely to report unhealthy physical [P=0.047] and mental [P=0.012] days.

Conclusion. Findings have implications for identifying at-risk women upon enrollment and leveraging AMOB/VLL for subsequent referral to other evidence-based exercise, disease management, and mental health interventions.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Identify three participant characteristics among older women associated with attending A Matter of Balance/Volunteer Lay Leader Model (AMOB/VLL) workshops. Identify three baseline health indicators associated with self-reported falls for older women at various intervention time points. Describe ways in which identifying older women at risk for falling can be used to leverage AMOB/VLL benefits through subsequent enrollment in other evidence-based programs.

Keywords: Aging, Injury Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Over the past 6 years, I have had experience implementing and evaluating this evidence-based fall risk reduction program at the local, state, and national level.
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.