Impact of a Multifaceted Community-Based Falls Prevention Program on Balance-Related Psychologic Factors

Objective: To©assess©the©impact©of©a©multifaceted©falls prevention© program© including© exercise© and© educational© components© on© perceived© balance© and© balance© confidence© among community-dwelling© seniors. Design: Quasi-experimental© design. Setting: Community-based© organizations. Participants: Two©hundred©community-dwelling©adults aged© 60© years© and© over© recruited© by© community-based© organizations. Intervention: A© 12-week© multifaceted© falls© prevention© program© including© 3© components© (a© 1-hour© group© exercise© class held© twice© a© week,© a© 30-minute© home© exercise© module© to© be performed© at© least© once© a© week,© a© 30-minute© educational© class held© once© a© week). Main Outcome Measures: Perceived© balance© and© balance confidence. Results: Multivariate© analysis© showed© that© the© program© was successful©in©increasing©perceived©balance©in©experimental participants.© However,© balance© confidence© was© not© improved by© program© participation. Conclusions: A© multifaceted© community-based© falls© prevention© program© that© was© successful© in© improving© balance© performance© among© community-dwelling© seniors© also© had© a© positive impact© on© perceived© balance.© However,© the© program© did© not improve© participants'© balance© confidence.© These© results© suggest© that© balance© confidence© has© determinants© other© than© balance© and© that© new© components© and/or© modifications© of© existing components© of© the© program© are© required© to© achieve© maximal benefits©for©seniors©in©terms©of©physical©and©psychologic outcomes