Grant: Project Grant

Falls are the leading cause of injury among those aged 65+ living in Canada: 40% of them experience one or more falls every year. Falls have negative outcomes like chronic pain, reduced mobility, loss of independence, depression, and death. Falls also cause 85% of injury-related hospitalizations among older adults, 95% of all hip fractures, and directly cost Canada's health care systems $2 billion per year. The good news is that we can prevent falls. Fall-prevention strategies consist of one or more components, like vision tests, assistive devices for walking, anti-slip footwear, education on falls, exercise, and/or nutrition programs. Healthcare providers recommend component(s) based on evidence from clinical trials that they effectively prevent falls and/or the negative outcomes of falls among older adults with specific sets of characteristics. There are hundreds of clinical trials, and more being done every year. Many trials seek to determine if a fall-prevention strategy is effective by determining if it reduces a single negative outcome of a fall. They do not indicate which component of a fall prevention strategy contributes most to its efficacy or if the underlying component reduces multiple negative outcomes of falls. This lack of evidence makes it challenging to recommend an optimum fall-prevention strategy in older adults. Our work will build on statistical methods we previously used to analyze all clinical trials on fall-prevention. We will determine the components of fall-prevention strategies that are effective, which negative outcomes of falls they prevent, and the characteristics of the older adults for whom they are effective. We will update our review every six months to incorporate new clinical trials. Our results will provide up-to-date information on how to best prevent falls in older adults, ensure that recommendations remain current, and guide Canadian and international healthcare providers and policymakers on fall-prevention strategies.