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BMC Geriatrics

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Open Access 01-12-2014 | Study protocol

An individually-tailored multifactorial intervention program for older fallers in a middle-income developing country: Malaysian Falls Assessment and Intervention Trial (MyFAIT)

Authors: Pey June Tan, Ee Ming Khoo, Karuthan Chinna, Keith D Hill, Phillip JH Poi, Maw Pin Tan

Published in: BMC Geriatrics | Issue 1/2014

Abstract

Background

In line with a rapidly ageing global population, the rise in the frequency of falls will lead to increased healthcare and social care costs. This study will be one of the few randomized controlled trials evaluating a multifaceted falls intervention in a low-middle income, culturally-diverse older Asian community. The primary objective of our paper is to evaluate whether individually tailored multifactorial interventions will successfully reduce the number of falls among older adults.

Methods

Three hundred community-dwelling older Malaysian adults with a history of (i) two or more falls, or (ii) one injurious fall in the past 12 months will be recruited. Baseline assessment will include cardiovascular, frailty, fracture risk, psychological factors, gait and balance, activities of daily living and visual assessments. Fallers will be randomized into 2 groups: to receive tailored multifactorial interventions (intervention group); or given lifestyle advice with continued conventional care (control group). Multifactorial interventions will target 6 specific risk factors. All participants will be re-assessed after 12 months. The primary outcome measure will be fall recurrence, measured with monthly falls diaries. Secondary outcomes include falls risk factors; and psychological measures including fear of falling, and quality of life.

Discussion

Previous studies evaluating multifactorial interventions in falls have reported variable outcomes. Given likely cultural, personal, lifestyle and health service differences in Asian countries, it is vital that individually-tailored multifaceted interventions are evaluated in an Asian population to determine applicability of these interventions in our setting. If successful, these approaches have the potential for widespread application in geriatric healthcare services, will reduce the projected escalation of falls and fall-related injuries, and improve the quality of life of our older community.

Trial registration

ISRCTN11674947

Available only for authorised users

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The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2318/14/78/prepub

Title: An individually-tailored multifactorial intervention program for older fallers in a middle-income developing country: Malaysian Falls Assessment and Intervention Trial (MyFAIT)
Authors: Pey June Tan
Ee Ming Khoo
Karuthan Chinna
Keith D Hill
Phillip JH Poi
Maw Pin Tan
Publication date: 01-12-2014
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Geriatrics / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2318
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2318-14-78

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Abstract

Background

Methods

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