A booklet containing advice on falls prevention which was posted out to older people reduced fractures as effectively as more intensive interventions, a large UK study conducted by the National Institute for Health Research has found.
The Prevention of Fall Injury Trial (Pre-FIT) included more than 9,000 people over 70-years-old living in the community. Over a period of 18 months, the study found that the three approaches — advice alone, exercises, and multiple assessments as part of a falls prevention programme — were similarly effective in reducing fractures. However, the exercise programme was linked with a slight increase in health-related quality of life, which made it the most cost-effective approach based on healthcare costs.