Trial reportBMC geriatrics2018
Feasibility of trial procedures for a randomised controlled trial of a community based group exercise intervention for falls prevention for visually impaired older people: the VIOLET study.
Trial report in BMC geriatrics, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04078529 (Efficacy of a Tailored Exercise Programme and Home Evaluation for Falls Prevention in Older People With a Visual Impairment), which is not on this map. Cited by 10 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
Efficacy of a Tailored Exercise Programme and Home Evaluation for Falls Prevention in Older People With a Visual Impairment
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Economic evidence related to the use of community assets in the management of frailty: a systematic review.Frontiers in public health · 2026Pooled 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
- Low vision rehabilitation for better quality of life in visually impaired adults.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2020Pooled it
- Implementation of Falls Management Exercise (FaME) falls prevention programme among community-dwelling older adults. A scoping review.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Consolidated guidance for behavioral intervention pilot and feasibility studies.Pilot and feasibility studies · 2024Article
- Health Management Service Models for the Elderly with Visual Impairment: A Scoping Review.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2024Article
- Expert Perspectives on Pilot and Feasibility Studies: A Delphi Study and Consolidation of Considerations for Behavioral Interventions.Research square · 2023Article
- Characterizing the Impact of Fear of Falling on Activity and Falls in Older Adults with Glaucoma.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2020Observational
- The Footfall Programme: participant experiences of a lower limb, foot and ankle exercise intervention for falls prevention - an exploratory study.Journal of frailty, sarcopenia and falls · 2019Article
- Which strength and balance activities are safe and efficacious for individuals with specific challenges (osteoporosis, vertebral fractures, frailty, dementia)?: A Narrative review.Journal of frailty, sarcopenia and falls · 2018Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
15 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundVisually impaired older people (VIOP) have a higher risk of falling than their sighted peers, and are likely to avoid physical activity. The aim was to adapt the existing Falls Management Exercise (FaME) programme for VIOP, delivered in the community, and to investigate the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomised controlled trial (RCT) of this adapted intervention.
methodsTwo-centre randomised mixed methods pilot trial and economic evaluation of the adapted group-based FaME programme for VIOP versus usual care. A one hour exercise programme ran weekly over 12 weeks at the study sites (Newcastle and Glasgow), delivered by third sector (voluntary and community) organisations. Participants were advised to exercise at home for an additional two hours over the week. Those randomised to the usual activities group received no intervention. Outcome measures were completed at baseline, 12 and 24 weeks. The potential primary outcome was the Short Form Falls Efficacy Scale - International (SFES-I). Participants' adherence was assessed by reviewing attendance records and self-reported compliance to the home exercises. Adherence with the course content (fidelity) by instructors was assessed by a researcher. Adverse events were collected in a weekly phone call.
resultsEighteen participants, drawn from community-living VIOP were screened; 68 met the inclusion criteria; 64 participants were randomised with 33 allocated to the intervention and 31 to the usual activities arm. 94% of participants provided data at the 12 week visit and 92% at 24 weeks. Adherence was high. The intervention was found to be safe with 76% attending nine or more classes. Median time for home exercise was 50 min per week. There was little or no evidence that fear of falling, balance and falls risk, physical activity, emotional, attitudinal or quality of life outcomes differed between trial arms at follow-up.
conclusionsThe intervention, FaME, was implemented successfully for VIOP and all progression criteria for a main trial were met. The lack of difference between groups on fear of falling was unsurprising given it was a pilot study but there may have been other contributory factors including suboptimal exercise dose and apparent low risk of falls in participants. These issues need addressing for a future trial.
trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN ID: 16949845 Registered: 21 May 2015.
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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.