title: Older persons' perception of risk of falling: implications for fall-prevention campaigns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined older people's attitudes about falls and implications for the design of fall-prevention awareness campaigns.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed data from (1) computer-assisted telephone surveys conducted in 2002 with Australians 60 years and older in Northern Rivers, New South Wales (site of a previous fall-prevention program; n=1601), and Wide Bay, Queensland (comparison community; n=1601), and (2) 8 focus groups (n=73).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants from the previous intervention site were less likely than were comparison participants to agree that falls are not preventable (odds ratio [OR]=0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.65, 0.90) and more likely to rate the prevention of falls a high priority (OR=1.31; 95% CI=1.09, 1.57). There was no difference between the groups for self-perceived risk of falls; more than 60% rated their risk as low. Those with a low perceived risk were more likely to be men, younger, partnered, and privately insured, and to report better health and no history of falls. Focus group data indicated that older people preferred messages that emphasized health and independence rather than falls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although older people accepted traditional fall-prevention messages, most viewed them as not personally relevant. Messages that promote health and independence may be more effective.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Rd, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia. b.newman@qut.edu.au
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Beurden
authors.forename: Elizabeth G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Eakin
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Backhouse
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Beard
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011639:Public Opinion; D012306:Risk