A Statewide Approach to Falls Prevention: Widespread Implementation of A Matter of Balance in North Carolina,2014

Abstract

This study showcases the statewide strategies used to implement and sustain an evidence-based fall prevention program, A Matter of Balance (MOB) in North Carolina between 2014 and 2019. Statewide program implementation and data collection support strategies are detailed. The mostly White (not Hispanic/Latino), female participants were 75 years old on average. Pre- and post-self-reported assessments included demographic, health status, quality of life, and falls-related metrics. Survey responses were scaled and analyzed. Statistically significant improvements (p < .05) across health status measurements, times fallen, and falls resulting in injury were observed. These results offer a model for effective statewide implementation of the MOB program to reduce falls among older adults in community settings with support from a statewide resource center.

Keywords

A Matter of Balance evidence-based falls prevention programs statewide resource center implementation

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Alexander

J. L.

Sartor-Glittenberg

Bordenave

(2015). Effect of the Matter of Balance Program on balance confidence in older adults. Geropsych: The Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry, 28(4), 183–189. http://doi.org/10.1024/1662-9647/a000121

Baker

Leo-Summers

Murphy

T. E.

Katz

Capobianco

B. A.

(2017). Intervention to prevent falls: Community-based clinics. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 38(7), 999–1010. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0733464817721113

Beling

Roller

(2009). Multifactorial intervention with balance training as a core component among fall-prone older adults. Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, 32(3), 125–133. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20128337

Bergen

Stevens

M. R.

Burns

E. R.

(2016). Falls and fall injuries among adults aged ≥65 years—United States, 2014. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), 65(37), 993–998. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6537a2.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Older adult falls. https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/index.html

Chen

Edwards

J. D.

Janke

M. C.

(2013). The effects of the A Matter of Balance program on falls and physical risk of falls, Tampa, Florida, 2013. Preventing Chronic Disease. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26402047/

Coe

L. J.

St John

J. A.

Hariprasad

Shankar

K. N.

MacCulloch

P. A.

Bettano

A. L.

Zotter

(2017). An integrated approach to falls prevention: A model for linking clinical and community interventions through the Massachusetts Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund. Frontiers in Public Health, 5, Article 38. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28321393/

Dipietro

Campbell

W. W.

Buchner

D. M.

Erickson

K. I.

Powell

K. E.

Bloodgood

Olson

R. D.

(2019). Physical activity, injurious falls, and physical function in aging. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 51(6), 1303–1313.

Florence

C. S.

Bergen

Atherly

Burns

Stevens

Drake

(2018). Medical costs of fatal and nonfatal falls in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 66(4), 693–698.

10.

Guirguis-Blake

J. M.

Michael

Y. L.

Perdue

L. A.

Coppola

E. L.

Beil

T. L.

Thompson

J. H.

(2018). Interventions to prevent falls in community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30234932/

11.

Levy

S. S.

Thralls

K. J.

Goble

D. J.

Krippes

T. B.

(2018). Effects of a community-based exercise program on older adults’ physical function, activities of daily living, and exercise self-efficacy: Feeling fit club. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 39(1), 40–49. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0733464818760237

12.

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, NC Division of Public Health, Injury and Violence Prevention Branch. (2020, January 7). CSTE applied epidemiology fellow. https://ncfallsprevention.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Falls-by-County-Table-Maps-2018.pdf

13.

Powell

B. J.

Waltz

T. J.

Chinman

M. J.

Damschroder

L. J.

Smith

J. L.

Matthieu

M. M.

Proctor

E. K.

Kirchner

J. E.

(2015). A refined compilation of implementation strategies: Results from the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) project. Implementation Science, 10, Article 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-015-0209-1

14.

Ory

M. G.

Smith

M. L.

Parker

E. M.

Jiang

Chen

Wilson

A. D.

Stevens

J. A.

Ehrenreich

Lee

(2015). Fall prevention in community settings: results from implementing tai chi: Moving for better balance in three States. Frontiers in Public Health, 2, 258. https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpubh.2014.00258

15.

Schrodt

L. A.

Garbe

K. C.

Shubert

T. E.

(2013). Trained community providers conduct fall risk screenings with fidelity: An effective model for expanding reach. Health Promotion Practice, 15(4), 599–607. https://journals-sagepub-com.proxy177.nclive.org/doi/pdf/10.1177/1524839913514752

16.

Sherrington

Fairhall

Wallbank

Tiedemann

Michaleff

Z. A.

Howard

Lamb

(2019). Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community: An abridged Cochrane systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(15), 885–891. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31792067

17.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2019). QuickFacts: United States. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045219

18.

Wood

J. K.

(2013). Empowering older adults to manage chronic conditions and reduce their risk for falls. Minnesota Medicine, 96(1), 47–48. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23437585/

A Statewide Approach to Falls Prevention: Widespread Implementation of A Matter of Balance in North Carolina,2014–2019

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References