Trial reportBMJ (Clinical research ed.)2002
Randomised factorial trial of falls prevention among older people living in their own homes.
Trial report in BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 2002. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 107 papers, 15 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Randomized Controlled Trial of Prevention of Fall-related Fractures and Other Injuries by Physical Exercise Among Community Dwelling Elderly Women
Effectiveness of a Simple Designed Programme of Home Based Exercise in Preventing Fall and Improving Balance and Strength in Older People With Mild to Moderate Balance Dysfunction: A Randomized Controlled Trials
Who cites it
107 citing papers in PubMed, 15 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 559 citations in OpenAlex.
- Multifactorial and multiple component interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2026Pooled it
- Effect of yoga on balance, falls, and bone metabolism: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials in healthy individuals.Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2025Pooled it
- Barriers and facilitating factors influencing implementation of occupational therapy home assessment recommendations: A mixed methods systematic review.Australian occupational therapy journal · 2022Pooled it
- Environmental and behavioural interventions for reducing physical activity limitation and preventing falls in older people with visual impairment.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2020Pooled it
- Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2019Pooled it
- Multifactorial and multiple component interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018Pooled it
- Evidence-based guidelines for fall prevention in Korea.The Korean journal of internal medicine · 2017Guideline
- Vision and Relevant Risk Factor Interventions for Preventing Falls among Older People: A Network Meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2015Pooled it
- Multiple component interventions for preventing falls and fall-related injuries among older people: systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC geriatrics · 2014Pooled it
- Preventive home visits for mortality, morbidity, and institutionalization in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.PloS one · 2014Pooled it
- External validity of physical activity interventions for community-dwelling older adults with fall risk: a quantitative systematic literature review.Journal of advanced nursing · 2012Pooled it
- Interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2012Pooled it
- Exercise for improving balance in older people.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2011Pooled it
- Modification of the home environment for the reduction of injuries.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2011Pooled it
- Efficacy of progressive resistance training on balance performance in older adults : a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2008Pooled it
- Effectiveness of a Tailored Fall-Prevention Program for Discharged Older Patients: A Multicenter, Preliminary, Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Trial
- Home Hazard Removal to Reduce Falls Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2021Trial
- Home environmental assessments and modification delivered by occupational therapists to reduce falls in people aged 65 years and over: the OTIS RCT.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2021Trial
- Can older adults' balance and mobility improve with visual attention training?European journal of applied physiology · 2019Trial
- Trial
47 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
- Commented on by
Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo test the effectiveness of, and explore interactions between, three interventions to prevent falls among older people.
designA randomised controlled trial with a full factorial design.
settingUrban community in Melbourne, Australia.
participants1090 aged 70 years and over and living at home. Most were Australian born and rated their health as good to excellent; just over half lived alone.
interventionsThree interventions (group based exercise, home hazard management, and vision improvement) delivered to eight groups defined by the presence or absence of each intervention.
main outcome measureTime to first fall ascertained by an 18 month falls calendar and analysed with survival analysis techniques. Changes to targeted risk factors were assessed by using measures of quadriceps strength, balance, vision, and number of hazards in the home.
resultsThe rate ratio for exercise was 0.82 (95% confidence interval 0.70 to 0.97, P=0.02), and a significant effect (P<0.05) was observed for the combinations of interventions that involved exercise. Balance measures improved significantly among the exercise group. Neither home hazard management nor treatment of poor vision showed a significant effect. The strongest effect was observed for all three interventions combined (rate ratio 0.67 (0.51 to 0.88, P=0.004)), producing an estimated 14.0% reduction in the annual fall rate. The number of people needed to be treated to prevent one fall a year ranged from 32 for home hazard management to 7 for all three interventions combined.
conclusionsGroup based exercise was the most potent single intervention tested, and the reduction in falls among this group seems to have been associated with improved balance. Falls were further reduced by the addition of home hazard management or reduced vision management, or both of these. Cost effectiveness is yet to be examined. These findings are most applicable to Australian born adults aged 70-84 years living at home who rate their health as good.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.