The Effectiveness of a Fall Prevention Program for the Elderly at Chuen Chom Sub-district, Chuen Chom District, MahaSarakham Province.

Abstract

     This research is a quasi-experimental study with the objective of investigating the effectiveness of the falls prevention program for elderly people in Chun-Chom sub-district, Chun-Chom district, Maha Sarakham province. It applies the concepts of the PRECEDE Framework to compare the fall prevention behaviors of the elderly before and after receiving the falls prevention program. The experimental group consists of 52 individuals selected according to specified criteria through simple random sampling. Data collection is conducted through questionnaires, and data analysis is performed using descriptive statistics and paired sample t-tests with a 95% confidence level.
     The research study found that the majority of the sample group were female (67.3%), with a mean age of 67 years (19.2%), followed by 68 years (15.4%), and the lowest age being 61 years (3.8%). Most of them were married/cohabiting (78.8%), with the highest level of education being primary school (88.5%), and predominantly engaged in agriculture (80.8%). Half of the group had insufficient income (50%), while 34.6% had sufficient income. Over the past 6 months, the majority of the sample group had no history of falls (98.1%), no chronic diseases (75%), and had caregivers in their families (51.9%).The experimental group exhibited regular fall prevention behaviors such as using handrails or walking sticks when walking on sloping or uneven surfaces or in the bathroom. They organized household items neatly to avoid obstructing walking paths and ensured adequate lighting, especially in stairwells and bathrooms. The average score for fall prevention behaviors was good, at 2.61, with a standard deviation of 0.36 before receiving the falls prevention program for the elderly. After receiving the program, the average score increased to 2.80, with a standard deviation of 2.20. The average score for fall prevention behaviors significantly increased by 0.19 points (95% CI = 2.19 to 4.87), with a statistically significant difference at the 0.05 level (p-value < 0.001). Furthermore, the average satisfaction score after receiving the falls prevention program for the elderly in Chun-Chom sub-district, Chun-Chom district, Maha Sarakham province, was very high in the experimental group, with a mean score of 4.73 and a standard deviation of 0.14.