Salminen 2009.
| Study characteristics | ||
| Methods | RCT | |
| Participants | Setting: Pori, Finland N = 591 Sample: volunteers identified through advertising etc. (84% women) Age (years): 62% aged 65 to 74, 38% aged ≥ 75 Inclusion criteria: aged ≥ 65 years; fallen in last year; MMSE ≥ 17; able to walk 10 m independently; living at home or sheltered housing Exclusion criteria: none described | |
| Interventions | 1. Intervention: geriatric assessment, individually tailored intervention targeting muscle strength and balance (advised to carry out physical exercises 3 x per wk at home), exercise in groups (3 levels according to physical performance), vision (referral), nutritional guidance or referral, medications, depression, treatment and prevention of osteoporosis, home hazard modification. All received calcium and vitamin D 2. Control: counselling and guidance after comprehensive assessments | |
| Outcomes | 1. Rate of falls
2. Number of fallers Number of fractures (not number sustaining a fracture) |
|
| Duration of the study | 1 year | |
| Notes | ||
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Unclear risk | Quote: "Randomized". No description of sequence generation. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Low risk | Quote: "using consecutively numbered, sealed envelopes" |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes | Unclear risk | Quote: "Participants and those administering the intervention were not blinded to group assignment." Insufficient evidence to make judgement on impact of lack of blinding. |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) Falls and fallers | Low risk | Quote: "The research assistants who interviewed the participants by telephone during the follow‐up period were blinded to group assignment." |
| 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 | Low risk | Quote: "recorded by fall diaries that subjects were asked to mail to the research assistants monthly." |