Interventions for the Prevention of Falls in Older Adults:A Meta-analysis of Randomized Control Trials

[Objective] To assess the relative effectiveness of intervention,including exercises,home hazard modification and multifactorial assessment and intervention to prevent falls in older adults.[ Methods] Medline,Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews,Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials,CBMdisc,other related databases and reference lists were the data sources. The Meta-analysis was operated to the data from the selected papers.[ Results] 25 papers were identified. The combining exercise intervention trials with risk ratio data showed a reduction in the risk of falling,risk ratio(RR)= 0.885, 95% confidence interval(95%CI):0.808-0.970,and in the risk of injurious falling(RR=0.675,95%CI:0.511-0.892). Home hazard modification has a benefit effect on the risk of falling for the unselected elderly(RR=0.854,95%CI:0.751-0.972) and the elderly with a fall history(RR=0.659,95%CI:0.537-0.808). Multifactorial assessment and intervention also played an important role in the reduction of the risk of falling(RR=0.817,95%CI:0.688-0.969) and the risk of injurious falling(RR=0.764, 95%CI:0.595-0.981).[ Conclusion] Exercises,home hazard modification and multifactorial assessment and intervention are all effective in reducing the risk of falling and injurious falling in older adults.