| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
RCT |
| Participants |
Setting: Oulu, Finland
N = 486
Sample: identified from population and geriatric registers of Oulu (78% women)
Age (years): mean 88 (SD 3)
Inclusion criteria: age ≥ 85; home dwelling; ≥ 1 risk factor for falling (≥ 2 falls in previous year, loneliness, poor self rated health, poor visual acuity/hearing, depression, poor cognition, impaired balance, chair rise, slow walking speed, difficulty with at least 1 ADL, able to walk outdoors, up or down stairs)
Exclusion criteria: none described |
| Interventions |
1. Intervention plans developed by OT and physiotherapist at home visit, based on nurse's assessment pre‐randomisation. Feasibility of plan assessed by GP. Plan included home exercise or group exercise, walking exercises, self care exercises (duration and frequency not described). Interventions carried out by OT and/or physiotherapist
2. Control: asked to visit GP without written intervention form |
| Outcomes |
1. Rate of falls
2. Number of people falling |
| Duration of the study |
24 months (falls monitored for median 16 months) |
| Notes |
|
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Quote: "Randomization was done by the study statistician using a random numbers table". |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Insufficient information to permit judgement |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Participants and personnel not blind to allocated group but impact of non‐blinding unclear |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
Falls and fallers |
Low risk |
Quote: "Fall recording was based on regular phone calls to all participants made every second month by a research nurse ... unaware of the randomization and the interventions." |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
Falls |
Low risk |
SeeAppendix 3 for method of assessment |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
Fallers |
Low risk |
SeeAppendix 3 for method of assessment |
| Risk of bias in recall of falls |
High risk |
Interval recall. Quote: "Fall recording was based on regular telephone interviews once in 2 months, but did not include diary reporting." |
