title: Older adults' participation in a community-based falls prevention exercise program: relationships between the EASY tool, program attendance, and health outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Exercise Assessment Screening for You (EASY) tool was developed to encourage older adults at every functional level to be more physically active. The purposes of this study were to examine characteristics of older adults who participated in an evidence-based falls prevention program by their entry to EASY tool scores, associations between EASY tool responses and class completion, and influences of EASY scores and items on improvements in days limited from usual activity and unhealthy physical health days.
  
  
  METHODS
  The program consisted of eight sessions conducted statewide by trained lay leaders in Texas. Assessments were collected at the beginning of session 1 and conclusion of session 8. Data included responses of 2,235 older adults. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the influence of individual EASY items and cumulative scores on health outcomes from baseline to postintervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neither the composite EASY scores nor the individual items significantly influenced program attendance. Higher cumulative EASY scores and individual items were associated with improvements in both health outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The EASY tool enabled seniors with major health problems to enroll in falls prevention classes, without the additional burden of requiring medical consent for participation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion and Behavior, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, 330 River Road, 315 Ramsey Center, Athens, GA 30302, USA. health@uga.edu
authors.forename: Matthew Lee
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Marcia G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ory
authors.forename: SangNam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Terry L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Bazzarre
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Resnick
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology