Disentangling interventions to reduce fear of falling in community-dwelling older people: a systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention components

Purpose Fear of falling (FoF) is a common and debilitating problem for older people. Most multicomponent interventions show only moderate effects. Exploring the effective components may help in the optimization of treatments for FoF. Materials and methods In a systematic review of five scientific literature databases, we identified randomized controlled trials with older community-dwelling people that included FoF as an outcome. There was no restriction on types of interventions. Two reviewers extracted information about outcomes and content of interventions. Intervention content was coded with a coding scheme of 68 intervention components. We compared all studies with a component to those without using univariate meta-regressions. Results Sixty-six studies, reporting on 85 interventions, were included in the systematic review. In the meta-regressions (n = 49), few components were associated with intervention effects at the first available follow up after the intervention, but interventions with meditation, holistic exercises (such as Tai Chi or Pilates) or body awareness were significantly more effective than interventions without these components. Interventions with self-monitoring, balance exercises, or tailoring were less effective compared to those without these components. Conclusions The identified components may be important for the design and optimization of treatments to reduce FoF.

Automated summary

Based on a systematic review of scientific literature databases, it was found that components such as meditation, holistic exercises, and body awareness were more effective in reducing fear of falling in older adults, while interventions with self-monitoring, balance exercises, or tailoring were less effective. These findings can help in designing and optimizing treatments to reduce FoF.