The STEPS Project: participatory action research to reduce falls in public places among seniors and persons with disabilities.

Through a process of participatory action research involving a telephone hotline, the STEPS project compiled data over a nine month period on the location and nature of 791 pedestrian slips, trips, falls and potential hazards in the Capital Regional District of British Columbia. Of the 533 people who reported a slip, trip or fall, the majority (80%) were female, and the average age was 65.27 years. Thirty-five percent (n = 186) had some type of physical disability and many (n = 106) reported using a mobility aide at the time of their accident. Most callers (75%) said they had suffered an injury, and of these 55% required medical attention. The most frequently reported fall locations were sidewalks and crosswalks. Major recommendations from the study include the need for municipal priority-setting for repairs with input from key user groups, including the elderly and people with disabilities.