This study set out to investigate the effects of a fall prevention program on the knowledge, efficacy, and preventive actions of falls among the elderly.
Designed in a non-equivalent control group pretest and posttest quasi-experimental research, the...
This study set out to investigate the effects of a fall prevention program on the knowledge, efficacy, and preventive actions of falls among the elderly.
Designed in a non-equivalent control group pretest and posttest quasi-experimental research, the study gathered data and conducted experimental treatments from August 4 to October 7, 2008. The subjects include total 42 old people that met the selection criteria and agreed to participate in the study among the low-income elderly that were living in S-gu, D Metropolitan City and registered at the Public Health Center of S-gu. They were divided into the experiment group of 20 and the control group of 22.
The experimental treatment was administering a fall prevention program once a week over total four times.
Using the SPSS 12.0 program, collected data were analyzed in frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, χ²-test, t-test, and paired t-test.
The research findings were as follows:
1. Hypothesis 1 "The experiment group that participated in a fall prevention program will show a higher degree of knowledge about falls than the control group" was supported(p=.001).
2. Hypothesis 2 "The experiment group that participated in a fall prevention program will have a greater degree of efficacy of falls than the control group" was dismissed(p=.185).
3. Hypothesis 3 "The experiment group that participated in a fall prevention program will engage in more preventive actions against falls than the control group" was supported(p=.000).
In short, it's confirmed that the fall prevention program used in the study was an effective intervention to improve the knowledge about falls and preventive actions against them among the low-income elderly. Thus the results will be used as part of an intervention to prevent falls among the low-income elderly.