[Effectiveness of a multifactorial intervention to prevent falls among elderly people in a community]

Abstract

Introduction: The falls of old people are a common problem that will increase as the population ages and which are accompanied by high morbidity and mortality. Multifactorial intervention has proved effective in reducing the number of falls.

Objective: To reduce the number of falls and their complications in the population >= 70 years old of a health district through a multifactorial community intervention programme.

Method: Multi-centred community intervention quasi-experimental study with no randomised allocation. It will be run in two communities, viz Salt and Girona-4, both of which are health districts in the province of Girona. In both an initial study will seek to establish the prevalence of falls and their consequences in people >= 70 years old. Data will be obtained from several randomised samples, using a questionnaire drawn up for the purpose. A multifactorial community intervention lasting two years (intervention group) will be made in the Salt Health District. There will be no specific intervention in the other community (control group). Later, effectiveness will be evaluated through randomised samples given the same questionnaire.

Discussion: Possible limitations of the study are the effect of contamination between the two communities, the existence of factors external to the intervention programme, losses due to people moving and deaths, and difficulty in assessing community activity. This programme can be applied to other communities as part of care and health education activities undertaken by primary care teams.