Barriers and Facilitators to Exercise Engagement in People Over 60 at Risk of Falls: an Exploratory Study
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Recruiting
- Enrollment
- 10
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Explore reasons for and against engaging with exercises at home.
Study Overview
Brief Summary
It is a qualitative study, using semi structured interviews to explore patient's experiences of falls and their perceptions on facilitators and barriers to exercise.
Aim: To explore reasons for and against engaging with exercises at home in participants over the age of 60 at risk of falls.
To explore:
- Patients' preferences to exercise format and type eg/ leaflet, online, access, such as the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) chair exercises leaflet or individual personalized rehabilitation programme handouts
- The ability to discuss falls risk with health professionals.
- If health inequalities exist with people at risk of falls and exercising.
- Sustainability of exercise, in order to reduce the risk of falls in this population.
- The need to develop MSK internal and external facing falls management pathways.
Suitability: Patients over the age of 60, who have been identified at risk of falls, having been referred to MSK Physiotherapy in Rossendale.
'Risk of falls' is defined as: patient self-reports they are unsteady, had one or more fall in the last 6 months, or clinician identified a slow/unsteady gait pattern on examination.
Semi structured interviews on up to ten participants. It is anticipated that this sample size will give adequate data saturation. Approximately 12 months from participant recruitment to analysis of findings.
Detailed Description
One in three people over the age of 65 and one in two over the age of 80 will fall each year. A fall is the main reason older people attend A and E. Falls can result in soft tissue injuries and broken bones, the most significant being a hip fracture, and these often require physiotherapy input. Locally, we have above average rates of hip fracture. Falling also reduces confidence and further mobility, which can also impact on developing long term health conditions.
Research has shown that exercise can help improve the strength and balance in people over 60 at risk of falls. Balance and strength exercises have been shown in previous research to reduce the risk of falls by 25% in patient's over 60. However, in other research, 78% of patients over the age of 75 have not done exercises at home in the last 5 years.
Exploring patient views on exercises and their physiotherapy experience will help us understand why patients engage or not with exercise and improve our services.
Patients who are at risk (identified through the EMIS template) of falls and have expressed an interest in being involved in research and who meet the additional eligibility criteria will be approached by the researcher. Eligible participants interested in participating will be contacted and sent the patient information sheet and consent form. They will be contacted within two weeks to see if they want to participate and assistance with the consent form either over phone or face to face.
A copy of the consent form will be scanned into the participant notes on EMIS, and paper copies stored securely in a locked filing cabinet.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Observational
- Observational Model
- Other
- Time Perspective
- Other
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 60 Years to 95 Years (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •Aged 60 years or over
- •At risk of falls or had a fall due to a musculoskeletal cause (pain, muscle weakness, balance issue)
- •Has capacity to consent, as deemed by the direct care team and researcher
- •Can communicate in English OR the use of a translation service - Able to independently participate in an interview either face-to-face or via remote means OR can use a translation service
Exclusion Criteria
- •Aged under 60
- •Have a medical cause of falls OR currently under investigation for a medical cause of falls (eg/ dizziness, cardiac, visual impairment reported as being the cause of the fall as opposed to weakness or pain in lower limbs/balance issues or unsteady on feet)
- •Moderate to severe cognitive impairment impairing capacity to consent
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Explore reasons for and against engaging with exercises at home.
Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
By identifying themes during anaylsis of study interviews
Secondary Outcomes
- Patients' thoughts on service materials, provision and communication(Through study completion, an average of 1 year)
Investigators
Michelle Thirlwall
Principal Investigator
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust