Older people's views of advice about falls prevention: a qualitative study
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The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of older people's perceptions of falls prevention advice, and how best to design communications that will encourage older people to take action to prevent falls. Focus groups and interviews were carried out with 66 people aged 61-94 years recruited from a variety of settings, using falls prevention messages to stimulate discussion. Thematic analysis revealed that participants interpreted 'falls prevention' principally as meaning hazard reduction, use of aids and restriction of activity. Only one participant was aware that falls risk could be reduced by carrying out exercises to improve strength and balance. Falls prevention advice was typically regarded as useful in principle but not personally relevant or appropriate. Advice about falling was often depicted as common sense, only necessary for older or more disabled individuals, and potentially patronizing and distressing. Our findings suggest that older people do not reject falls prevention advice because of ignorance of their risk of falling, but because they see it as a potential threat to their identity and autonomy. Messages that focus on the positive benefits of improving balance may be more acceptable and effective than advice on falls prevention.
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The focus groups in the falls prevention study most clearly revealed the crucial barrier that almost all older people saw falling as meaning that they were becoming frail and dependent, and therefore completely rejected the idea that they were at risk of falling or had any need of a falls prevention intervention.
“It was this study that most clearly revealed the crucial barrier—that almost all older people saw falling as meaning that they were becoming frail and dependent, and therefore they completely rejected the idea that they were at risk of falling or had any need of a falls prevention intervention [49].”
From The Person-Based Approach to Intervention Development: Application to Digital Health-Related Behavior Change Interventions (2015) · cites this paper as [49]
People are often keen to distance themselves from negative stereotypes of ill health and ageing, and health-related interventions, including telehealth and telecare, can be perceived to undermine identity and autonomy, especially amongst older people.
“Previous research demonstrates that people are often keen to distance themselves from negative stereotypes of ill health and ageing [34], and that health-related interventions, including telehealth and telecare, can be perceived to undermine identity and autonomy, especially amongst older people [19,20,35].”
From Exploring barriers to participation and adoption of telehealth and telecare within the Whole System Demonstrator trial: a qualitative study (2012) · cites this paper as [35]
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- Authors
- Yardley, L.
- Affiliations
- University of Southampton (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Yardley, L
- ORCID
- Yardley, L
- Venue
- Health Education Research
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2005-11-22
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 508-517
- ISSN
- 0268-1153 (ISSN-L)
- 1465-3648
- OpenAlex
- W2124850311
- Cited by
- 332
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 17
- FWCI
- 28.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Health Education Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Balance, Gait, and Falls Prevention
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare
- Social Sciences › Health › Health, Education, and Aging
- Keywords
- fall prevention, older adults, health advice, health communication, autonomy, identity, balance training, resistance training, hazard mitigation
- MeSH terms
- Accidental Falls, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Communication, Female, Health Education, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Male, Middle Aged, Qualitative Research
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