A single home visit by an occupational therapist reduces the risk of falling after hip fracture in elderly women: a quasi-randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effectiveness of a single home visit by an occupational therapist in the reduction of fall risk after hip fracture in elderly women.


METHODS
Quasi-randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
Ninety-five women aged 60 years or older, living in the community, who sustained a fall-related hip fracture.


METHODS
The women were allocated alternately to intervention or control groups. All the women underwent a multidisciplinary programme targeted at fall prevention during in-patient rehabilitation. Additionally, the intervention group received a home visit by an occupational therapist a median of 20 days after discharge. Falls were recorded at a 6-month follow-up.


RESULTS
Thirteen of the 50 women in the control group sustained 20 falls during 9231 days, whereas 6 of the 45 women in the intervention group sustained 9 falls during 8970 days. After adjustment for observation periods, Barthel Index scores, and body height, a significantly lower proportion of fallers was found in the intervention group: the odds ratio was 0.275 (95% confidence interval 0.081-0.937, p=0.039).


CONCLUSIONS
A single home visit by an occupational therapist after discharge from a rehabilitation hospital significantly reduced the risk of falling in a sample of elderly women following hip fracture.
Di Monaco
Marco
M
Osteoporosis Research Center, Presidio Sanitario San Camillo, Strada Santa Margherita 136, Turin, Italy. Medici@h-sancamillo.to.it
Vallero
Fulvia
F
De Toma
Elena
E
De Lauso
Lucia
L
Tappero
Rosa
R
Cavanna
Alberto
A
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D000078329:Workforce