Older persons' perception of risk of falling: implications for fall-prevention campaigns.
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.
Hughes
Karen
K
School of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Rd, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia. b.newman@qut.edu.au
van Beurden
Eric
E
Eakin
Elizabeth G
EG
Barnett
Lisa M
LM
Patterson
Elizabeth
E
Backhouse
Jan
J
Jones
Sue
S
Hauser
Darren
D
Beard
John R
JR
Newman
Beth
B
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