Community-based programmes to prevent falls in children: a systematic review.
OBJECTIVE
We systematically reviewed the literature to examine the evidence for the effectiveness of community-based interventions to reduce fall-related injury in children aged 0-16 years.


METHODS
We performed a comprehensive search of the literature using the following study selection criteria: community-based intervention study; target population was children aged 0-16 years; outcome measure was fall-related injury rates; and either a community control or historical control was used in the study design. Quality assessment and data abstraction were guided by a standardized procedure and performed independently by two authors.


RESULTS
Only six studies fitting the inclusion criteria were identified in our search and only two of these used a trial design with a contemporary community control. Neither of the high quality evaluation studies showed an effect from the intervention and while authors of the remaining studies reported effective falls prevention programmes, the pre- and post-intervention design, uncontrolled for background secular trends, makes causal inferences from these studies difficult.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a paucity of research studies from which evidence regarding the effectiveness of community-based intervention programmes for the prevention of fall-related injury in children could be based.
McClure
Rod
R
Epidemiology and Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Nixon
Jim
J
Spinks
Anneliese
A
Turner
Catherine
C
D000056:Accident Prevention / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000592:standards; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards