BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVES: Falls are a major public health problem. Older persons are frequently underrepresented in trials, including falls prevention trials. Insight into possible reasons for non-participation could help to improve trial designs and participation rates among this age-group. The aim of this study was to explore reasons why older people refuse to participate in falls prevention trials. SETTING: A qualitative study. PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years who attended the Emergency Department due to a fall and refused to participate in a falls prevention trial (IMPROveFALL-study). MEASUREMENTS: A structured interview guide was used, and interview transcripts were subjected to an independent content analysis by two researchers. RESULTS: 15 interviews were conducted. A main reason to refuse trial participation was mobility impairment. In contrast, younger and more "active" and mobile seniors considered themselves "too healthy" to participate. Persons with multiple comorbidities mentioned that they attended a hospital too often, or experienced adequate follow-up by their own physicians already. Transport problems, including distance to the hospital, parking facilities, and travel expenses were another issue. During the interviews it was emphasized by the patients, that they knew the reason for their fall. However, they were not familiar with the positive effects of falls prevention programmes. CONCLUSIONS: Older persons reported multiple reasons to refuse participation in a falls prevention study, such as health-related factors, several practical problems, and personal beliefs about the causes and preventability of falls. Anticipation of those issues might contribute to an improvement in participation rates of older fallers, shorter study duration, and a better generalizability of research findings. Copyright Â
BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVES: Falls are a major public health problem. Older persons are frequently underrepresented in trials, including falls prevention trials. Insight into possible reasons for non-participation could help to improve trial designs and participation rates among this age-group. The aim of this study was to explore reasons why older people refuse to participate in falls prevention trials. SETTING: A qualitative study. PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years who attended the Emergency Department due to a fall and refused to participate in a falls prevention trial (IMPROveFALL-study). MEASUREMENTS: A structured interview guide was used, and interview transcripts were subjected to an independent content analysis by two researchers. RESULTS: 15 interviews were conducted. A main reason to refuse trial participation was mobility impairment. In contrast, younger and more "active" and mobile seniors considered themselves "too healthy" to participate. Persons with multiple comorbidities mentioned that they attended a hospital too often, or experienced adequate follow-up by their own physicians already. Transport problems, including distance to the hospital, parking facilities, and travel expenses were another issue. During the interviews it was emphasized by the patients, that they knew the reason for their fall. However, they were not familiar with the positive effects of falls prevention programmes. CONCLUSIONS: Older persons reported multiple reasons to refuse participation in a falls prevention study, such as health-related factors, several practical problems, and personal beliefs about the causes and preventability of falls. Anticipation of those issues might contribute to an improvement in participation rates of older fallers, shorter study duration, and a better generalizability of research findings. Copyright Â
Authors: Suzanne Polinder; Nicole D A Boyé; Francesco U S Mattace-Raso; Nathalie Van der Velde; Klaas A Hartholt; Oscar J De Vries; Paul Lips; Tischa J M Van der Cammen; Peter Patka; Ed F Van Beeck; Esther M M Van Lieshout Journal: BMC Geriatr Date: 2016-11-04 Impact factor: 3.921
Authors: Beate Gaertner; Ina Seitz; Judith Fuchs; Markus A Busch; Martin Holzhausen; Peter Martus; Christa Scheidt-Nave Journal: BMC Geriatr Date: 2016-01-19 Impact factor: 3.921
Authors: Manas K Akmatov; Leonhard Jentsch; Peggy Riese; Marcus May; Malik W Ahmed; Damaris Werner; Anja Rösel; Jana Prokein; Inga Bernemann; Norman Klopp; Blair Prochnow; Thomas Illig; Christoph Schindler; Carlos A Guzman; Frank Pessler Journal: BMC Med Res Methodol Date: 2017-02-02 Impact factor: 4.615
Authors: Celeste Carlucci; Julie Kardachi; Sara M Bradley; Jason Prager; Katarzyna Wyka; Nimali Jayasinghe Journal: Gerontol Geriatr Med Date: 2018-05-18
Authors: Arianna Poli; Susanne Kelfve; Leonie Klompstra; Anna Strömberg; Tiny Jaarsma; Andreas Motel-Klingebiel Journal: J Med Internet Res Date: 2020-06-05 Impact factor: 5.428
Authors: Branko F Olij; Lotte M Barmentloo; Dini Smilde; Nathalie van der Velde; Suzanne Polinder; Yvonne Schoon; Vicki Erasmus Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-03-26 Impact factor: 3.390