Risk factors for falls among older adults in India: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
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ABSTRACT: Background and aim
Falls are common among older adults in India. Several primary studies on its risk factors have been conducted in India. However, no systematic review has been conducted on this topic. Thus, the objective of this systematic review was to synthesize the existing evidence on the risk factors for falls among older adults in India.Methods
JBI and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyse guidelines were followed, and two independent reviewers were involved in the process. This review included observational studies conducted among older adults (aged ≥ 60 years) residing in India, reporting any risk factor for falls as exposure and unintentional fall as the outcome. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses were searched until September 24, 2020. Where possible, data were synthesized using random-effects meta-analysis.Results
The literature search yielded 3445 records. Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria of this systematic review, and 19 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Out of the 22 included studies in the systematic review, 12 (out of 18) cross-sectional studies, two case-control studies, and two cohort studies met more than 70% criteria in the respective Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklists. Risk factors for falls among older adults in India included sociodemographic factors, environmental factors, lifestyle factors, physical and/or mental health conditions, and medical interventions.Conclusions
This systematic review and meta-analysis provided a holistic picture of the problem in India by considering a range of risk factors such as sociodemographic, environmental, lifestyle, physical and/or mental health conditions and medical intervention. These findings could be used to develop falls prevention interventions for older adults in India.Systematic review and meta‐analysis registration
The systematic review and meta-analysis protocol was registered with PROSPERO (registration number-CRD42020204818).
SUBMITTER: Biswas I
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9213836 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:ImportanceFalls result in substantial burden for patients and health care systems, and given the aging of the population worldwide, the incidence of falls continues to rise.ObjectiveTo assess the potential effectiveness of interventions for preventing falls.Data sourcesMEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Ageline databases from inception until April 2017. Reference lists of included studies were scanned.Study selectionRandomized clinical trials (RCTs) of fall-prevention interventions for participants aged 65 years and older.Data extraction and synthesisPairs of reviewers independently screened the studies, abstracted data, and appraised risk of bias. Pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis were conducted.Main outcomes and measuresInjurious falls and fall-related hospitalizations.ResultsA total of 283 RCTs (159 910 participants; mean age, 78.1 years; 74% women) were included after screening of 10 650 titles and abstracts and 1210 full-text articles. Network meta-analysis (including 54 RCTs, 41 596 participants, 39 interventions plus usual care) suggested that the following interventions, when compared with usual care, were associated with reductions in injurious falls: exercise (odds ratio [OR], 0.51 [95% CI, 0.33 to 0.79]; absolute risk difference [ARD], -0.67 [95% CI, -1.10 to -0.24]); combined exercise and vision assessment and treatment (OR, 0.17 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.38]; ARD, -1.79 [95% CI, -2.63 to -0.96]); combined exercise, vision assessment and treatment, and environmental assessment and modification (OR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.13 to 0.70]; ARD, -1.19 [95% CI, -2.04 to -0.35]); and combined clinic-level quality improvement strategies (eg, case management), multifactorial assessment and treatment (eg, comprehensive geriatric assessment), calcium supplementation, and vitamin D supplementation (OR, 0.12 [95% CI, 0.03 to 0.55]; ARD, -2.08 [95% CI, -3.56 to -0.60]). Pairwise meta-analyses for fall-related hospitalizations (2 RCTs; 516 participants) showed no significant association between combined clinic- and patient-level quality improvement strategies and multifactorial assessment and treatment relative to usual care (OR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.33 to 1.81]).Conclusions and relevanceExercise alone and various combinations of interventions were associated with lower risk of injurious falls compared with usual care. Choice of fall-prevention intervention may depend on patient and caregiver values and preferences.
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Project description:BackgroundFalling is one of the most common and serious age-related issues, and falls can significantly impair the quality of life of older adults. Approximately one-third of people over 65 experience a fall annually. Previous research has shown that physical exercise could help reduce falls among older adults and improve their health. However, older adults often find it challenging to follow and adhere to physical exercise programs. Interventions using mixed reality (MR) technology could help address these issues. MR combines artificial augmented computer-generated elements with the real world. It has frequently been used for training and rehabilitation purposes.ObjectiveThe aim of this systematic literature review and meta-analysis was to investigate the use of the full spectrum of MR technologies for fall prevention intervention and summarize evidence of the effectiveness of this approach.MethodsIn our qualitative synthesis, we analyzed a number of features of the selected studies, including aim, type of exercise, technology used for intervention, study sample size, participant demographics and history of falls, study design, involvement of health professionals or caregivers, duration and frequency of the intervention, study outcome measures, and results of the study. To systematically assess the results of the selected studies and identify the common effect of MR interventions, a meta-analysis was performed.ResultsSeven databases were searched, and the initial search yielded 5838 results. With the considered inclusion and exclusion criteria, 21 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis and 12 were included in meta-analysis. The majority of studies demonstrated a positive effect of an MR intervention on fall risk factors among older participants. The meta-analysis demonstrated a statistically significant difference in Berg Balance Scale score between the intervention and control groups (ES: 0.564; 95% CI 0.246-0.882; P<.001) with heterogeneity statistics of I2=54.9% and Q=17.74 (P=.02), and a statistical difference in Timed Up and Go test scores between the intervention and control groups (ES: 0.318; 95% CI 0.025-0.662; P<.001) with heterogeneity statistics of I2=77.6% and Q=44.63 (P<.001). The corresponding funnel plot and the Egger test for small-study effects (P=.76 and P=.11 for Berg Balance Scale and Timed Up and Go, respectively) indicate that a minor publication bias in the studies might be present in the Berg Balance Scale results.ConclusionsThe literature review and meta-analysis demonstrate that the use of MR interventions can have a positive effect on physical functions in the elderly. MR has the potential to help older users perform physical exercises that could improve their health conditions. However, more research on the effect of MR fall prevention interventions should be conducted with special focus given to MR usability issues.
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