TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence and correlates of participation in fall prevention exercise/physical activity by older adults
AU - Merom, Dafna
AU - Pye, Victoria
AU - Macniven, Rona
AU - Van der Ploeg, Hidde
AU - Milat, Andrew
AU - Sherrington, Catherine
AU - Lord, Stephen
AU - Bauman, Adrian
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - The aim of this study was to examine older people's participation in fall prevention exercise/physical activities. 5,681 randomly selected older people (≥65 years) who took part in the 2009 New South Wales (Australia) Fall Prevention telephone survey (61% response-rate) participated in 11 prompted activities including two separate questions on participation in strength and balance training. Tai chi, dance, team sports, golf, bowls and specific balance training were classified as balance-challenging activities. Correlates of low participation were examined using multivariable logistic regression. One in eight older people (12.0%, 95% CI: 11.0–13.0) participated in strength training, 6.0% (95% CI: 5.2–6.7) participated in balance training and 21.8% (95% CI: 20.5–23.0) participated in balance-challenging activities. Adherence to public health recommendations (≥2 days/week) for strength or balance-challenging activities was reported by 21.0% (95% CI: 9.8–22.2) with 5.3% adhering to both forms. Engagements in strength or in balance-challenging activities were lower among those who had low education (bhigh-school), lived in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, were obese, had fair/poor self-rated health, had problems with walking or used a walking aid or had fallen in the past year. It was concluded that participation in best practice exercise to prevent falls is low. Population-based approaches and targeted strategies for high-risk group are needed.
AB - The aim of this study was to examine older people's participation in fall prevention exercise/physical activities. 5,681 randomly selected older people (≥65 years) who took part in the 2009 New South Wales (Australia) Fall Prevention telephone survey (61% response-rate) participated in 11 prompted activities including two separate questions on participation in strength and balance training. Tai chi, dance, team sports, golf, bowls and specific balance training were classified as balance-challenging activities. Correlates of low participation were examined using multivariable logistic regression. One in eight older people (12.0%, 95% CI: 11.0–13.0) participated in strength training, 6.0% (95% CI: 5.2–6.7) participated in balance training and 21.8% (95% CI: 20.5–23.0) participated in balance-challenging activities. Adherence to public health recommendations (≥2 days/week) for strength or balance-challenging activities was reported by 21.0% (95% CI: 9.8–22.2) with 5.3% adhering to both forms. Engagements in strength or in balance-challenging activities were lower among those who had low education (bhigh-school), lived in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, were obese, had fair/poor self-rated health, had problems with walking or used a walking aid or had fallen in the past year. It was concluded that participation in best practice exercise to prevent falls is low. Population-based approaches and targeted strategies for high-risk group are needed.
KW - exercise
KW - falls (accidents)
KW - older people
UR - http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/516543
U2 - 10.1016/j.ypmed.2012.10.001
DO - 10.1016/j.ypmed.2012.10.001
M3 - Article
SN - 0091-7435
VL - 55
SP - 613
EP - 617
JO - Preventative Medicine
JF - Preventative Medicine
IS - 6
ER -