The effectiveness of the fall prevention program in elderly, Lampang Province

Abstract

This quasi-experimental research aimed to examine the effectiveness of a fall prevention program among the elderly in Lampang Province. The sample was 80 elderly people who live in Amphoe Soem Ngam and Amphoe Sop Prap. The study divided participants into experimental and control groups, 40 individuals each, using simple random sampling. The experimental group participated in a 12-week fall prevention program. Data were collected using questionnaires during the pre-experiment and then in weeks 4th, 8th, and the 12th after the experiment. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, Paired t-tests, and repeated measures ANOVA.

The results showed significant differences in the mean scores of knowledge and fall prevention behavior between the experimental group and the control group (p < 0.01). Additionally, there was a significant difference in the mean scores of knowledge and fall prevention behavior within the experimental group between the pretest and posttest (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the mean scores of knowledge and fall prevention behavior among the elderly at the pretest, after intervention for 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks showed significant differences (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). The highest mean scores for knowledge and fall prevention behavior among the elderly were observed after 4 weeks of intervention.

The study can serve as a guideline for public health service centers and local administrative organizations regarding the management system to prevent falls among the elderly.