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Standing Strong in Tribal Communities: Assessing Elder Falls Disparity

Not Applicable
Recruiting
Conditions
Fall
Interventions
Behavioral: Otago Exercise Program
Registration Number
NCT04876729
Lead Sponsor
University of New Mexico
Brief Summary

Falls and fall-related injuries are major health risks in American Indian elders. The data showed 52 percent of Zuni elders reporting a fall during the past year, which is significantly higher than the US national average of one out of three adults older then 65 years. In partnership with Zuni Pueblo leadership and community stake holders, the feasibility will be reviewed in hopes of implementing Community Health Representative delivered fall risk screening and evidence-based Otago Exercise Program with physical therapist consultation to address lack of access to home delivered physical therapy and health disparity, as well as empower the participants to address fall risk, avert injury, and preserve aging in place within their community.

Detailed Description

Native elders are essential to preserving the culture and history of tribal communities, but fall related injuries can jeopardize their ability to age in place. The Zuni Pueblo is geographically isolated with limited access to rehabilitative and supportive services. Home health physical therapy services are unavailable at the Pueblo. Therefore, Zuni elders must choose between leaving their community and social network for rehabilitative care or remain in the community with unmet needs, and increased risk of not regaining their prior level of function.

This study proposes to culturally tailor the traditional Physical Therapy delivered Otago Exercise Program, to evaluate its effectiveness in reducing falls risk and to empower elders and their families to engage in preventing falls in their community. Native Zuni CHRs will deliver OEP using novel consultation and telehealth with a Physical Therapist. The CHRs offer important advantage of speaking Zuni tribal language and understanding Zuni traditions, family structures, and elders' preferences for receiving health information. The investigators overall objective is to compare the effectiveness of a CHR delivered, culturally adapted OEP fall prevention program to the standard of care education based fall risk management.

The investigators disparity driven aims are:

Aim: To compare the effectiveness of the adapted OEP to an education-based fall risk management usual care program in improving strength and balance and reducing falls risk. Approach: Screen 400 Zuni elders, aged 65yrs and older, to identify 200 elders with elevated fall risk. Randomize 200 Zuni elders at risk for falls into a 6-month OEP intervention versus education-based control; Aim: To compare the effectiveness of the adapted OEP to an education-based fall risk management program in improving overall health status, self-management of daily activities, and social engagement. Approach: The SF12 Health Survey and Short Form PROMIS measures Self-Efficacy for Managing Daily Activities and Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities will be administered to all randomized participants, at baseline and 6 months, and during the final follow up visit at 12 months.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
200
Inclusion Criteria

Zuni tribal members aged 65 years and older who demonstrate elevated fall risk according to 2 or more of the following test outcomes: (1) Timed Up and Go >12 seconds; (2) 30 Second Chair Stand Test below age and gender norms; (3) Inability to complete the Four Stage Balance Test; (4) Four or more positive responses on the CDC Stay Independent: Check Your Risk for Falling; or (5) history of 2 or more falls during past year or one injurious fall during past year

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Exclusion Criteria

(1)Self-reported diagnosis of terminal cancer in the last 6 months; (2) Currently on dialysis; (3) Mini-Cog score of 0 to 1; (4) Unwillingness to consent to participate; (5) Unable to walk with or without an assistive device; or (6) Legally blind.

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Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
FACTORIAL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Otago Exercise ProgramOtago Exercise ProgramAn individualized Otago Exercise Program will be delivered by community health representatives (CHR) in participants homes. There will be 10 home visits over a 12 month period.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Changes in Strength and Balance at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months3 months, 6 months and 12 months

Changes Timed Up and Go, 30 Second Chair Stand, and Four Stage Balance test

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Stop Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries (STEADI) Stay Independent is a 12-item assessmentBaseline

History of falls and other issues related to increased chance of a fall; Scale: 0-14; Higher score indicates greater falls risk

Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 12 (SF-12v2)Baseline, 6 months and 12 months

12-item questionnaire that tests how health affects quality of life; Scale: 12-47; Higher score indicates better quality of life

Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Ability to Participate in Social Roles and ActivitiesBaseline, 6 months and 12 months

Measures participation in the community; Scale: 4-20; Higher score indicates more difficulty participating in social roles and activities

The Attitudes to Falls-Related Interventions Scale (AFRIS)Baseline and 12 months

Examines beliefs about falls prevention; Scale: 0-18; Higher score indicates more positive beliefs about falls prevention

Falls incidenceMonthly from baseline to 12 months

Monthly falls calendar over 12 months

Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Self-Efficacy for Managing Daily ActivitiesBaseline, 6 months and 12 months

Measures ability to manage daily activities; Scale: 4-20; Higher score indicates greater self-efficacy to manage daily activities

Clinical CharacteristicsBaseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months

Blood Pressure

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Zuni Health Initiative

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Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, United States

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