title: Investigation of older adults' participation in exercises following completion of a state-wide survey targeting evidence-based falls prevention strategies.
abstract: This paper examines whether involvement in an observational study may prompt participants to change their exercise behaviors. Data were collected from 394 older community dwellers in Victoria, Australia using a baseline survey, and 245 of these participated in a follow-up survey one year later. Survey domains were drawn from constructs of relevant health behavior models. Results showed that the proportion of respondents who were currently participating in exercises to prevent falls at follow-up was 12% higher than at baseline (Wilcoxon p value < .001). Twenty-nine percent reported they had changed their perceptions about falls and their risk of falls, with comments focused on threat appraisal. Forty-four percent reported having taken strategies to reduce their risk of falling, with comments based on implementation of different preventive strategies. Respondents who held favorable views toward exercises for the prevention of falls appear to change their behaviors that might address falls when participating in observational studies.
authors.affiliation: Allied Health Research Unit, Monash Health & Physiotherapy Department, Monash Health, Australia.
authors.forename: Den-Ching A
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: Caroline F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Finch
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Lindy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Clemson
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: Terry P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Haines
mesh_terms: D000056:Accident Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014739:Victoria