title: Randomized Control Trials on Otago Exercise Program (OEP) to Reduce Falls Among Elderly Community Dwellers in Shahroud, Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fall is a worldwide health problem among elderly people and a known leading cause of disabilities. Fall prevention programs have been implemented in various forms. The Otago exercise program (OEP) is one of the most recent home-base exercise training program.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of OEP to reduce falls among elderly people in Shahroud, IR Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This randomised control trial was conducted among the elderly community dwellers in Shahroud city of the Semnan province, IR Iran, with experience of falls in the last 12 months. Subjects of the study (n = 317) were recruited from elderly senior citizens at public health centers. Block systematic random sampling was applied to categorize the subjects in experimental and control groups. The experimental group (n = 160) received OEP for six months and was compared with the control group (n = 157) who received general health training. This study was registered with the following ID, IRCT2014012016285N1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings of the study showed that OEP improved physical performance (Berg-Balance-Score with P > 0.025, and Timed-Up-Go-Test with P > 0.017) and functional capacity (Arm-Curl-Test with P > 0.00 and Chair-Stand-Test with P > 0.01). In addition, OEP significantly reduced the incidence of falls (P ≤ 0.00) among senior citizens in the experimental group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The OEP as a home-based exercise is effective for the reduction of the incidence of falls among senior citizens with a history of falls. The OEP can be recommended for elderly homebound people who do not have access to facilities.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, IR Iran; Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing, University of Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dadgari
authors.affiliation: Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing, University of Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Tengku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aizan Hamid
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Putra Malaysia. Darul Ehsan, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mohammad Nazrul
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Hakim
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Yasooj University of Medical Sciences, Yasojj, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chaman
authors.affiliation: Health Related Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Abbas
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Mousavi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Putra Malaysia. Darul Ehsan, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Lim
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Poh Hin
authors.affiliation: Imam Hossein Education Research and Treatment Center, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dadvar
keywords: Community; Elderly; Falls; Otago Exercise