Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY
Volume 23, Issue 5, Pages 504-510Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/gps.1927
Keywords
fall prevention; depressive symptoms; aged
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Objectives The aim was to determine the effects of multifactorial fall prevention on depressive symptoms among aged Finns at increased risk of falling. Methods This study is part of a multifactorial fall prevention trial with a randomised controlled design implemented in the town of Pori, western Finland. The study population consisted of ambulatory, 65-year-old or older Finns, with moderate or high cognitive and physical abilities who had fallen at least once during the previous 12 months. The participants (it = 591) were randomised into a risk-based multifactorial fall prevention programme (intervention group, IG) or into a one-time counselling group (control group, CG). The 1-year intervention included individual geriatric assessment followed by treatment recommendations, individual guidance regarding fall prevention, physical exercise in small groups twice a month, psychosocial group activities and lectures once a month, home-exercises and home hazard assessment. The outcome, depressive symptoms, was measured by the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Results The full GDS data with no missing items were available for 464 persons. A significant decrease in depressive symptoms during the 12-month intervention was found both in IG and in CG, but the difference in change was not significant (p = 0.110). However, a significant difference in change between the groups was found among men and older subjects (>= 75) in favour of the IG. Conclusion Multifactorial fall prevention had no effects on depressive symptoms among the community-dwelling aged. However, men and older participants benefited from the intervention. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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