Structured Abstract

Contents

• Acknowledgments
• Chapter 1. Introduction
  • Purpose
  • Prevalence and Burden
  • Etiology and Natural History
  • Risk Factors
  • Fall Risk Screening Tools Feasible for Primary Care
  • Treatment Approaches
  • Current Clinical Practice in the United States and Recent Recommendations
  • Previous USPSTF Recommendation
• Chapter 2. Methods
  • Scope and Purpose
  • Key Questions and Analytic Framework
  • Data Sources and Searches
  • Study Selection
  • Quality Assessment
  • Data Abstraction
  • Data Synthesis and Analysis
  • Grading the Strength of the Body of Evidence
  • Race and/or Ethnicity Terminology
  • Contextual Questions
  • Expert Review and Public Comment
  • USPSTF and AHRQ Involvement
• Chapter 3. Results
  • KQ 1
  • KQ1a
  • KQ 2
• Chapter 4. Discussion
  • Summary of Evidence
  • Falls and Fall-Related Outcomes
  • Implementation Issues
  • Ongoing Trials
  • Limitations of the Literature and Future Research Needs
  • Limitations of Our Approach
  • Conclusion
• References
• Appendices
  • Appendix A. Detailed Methods
  • Appendix B. Literature Flow
  • Appendix C. Included Studies
  • Appendix D. Excluded Studies
  • Appendix E. Multifactorial Interventions: Additional Evidence Tables
  • Appendix F. Exercise Interventions: Additional Evidence Tables
  • Appendix G. Exercise + Education Interventions: Additional Evidence Tables
  • Appendix H. Exercise + Environment Interventions: Additional Evidence Tables
  • Appendix I. Environmental Interventions: Additional Evidence Tables
  • Appendix J. Medication Review/Modification Interventions: Additional Evidence Tables
  • Appendix K. Psychological Interventions: Additional Evidence Tables
  • Appendix L. Education Interventions: Additional Evidence Tables
  • Appendix M. Ongoing Studies
  • Appendix References

Suggested citation:

Guirguis-Blake JM, Perdue LA, Coppola EL, Bean SI. Interventions to Prevent Falls in Older Adults: An Evidence Update for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Evidence Synthesis No. 236. AHRQ Publication No. 23-05309-EF-1. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2024.

This report is based on research conducted by the Kaiser Permanente Research Affiliates Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) under contract to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Rockville, MD (Contract No. HHSA75Q80120D00004, Task Order 75Q80121F32004). The findings and conclusions in this document are those of the authors, who are responsible for its contents; the findings and conclusions do not necessarily represent the views of AHRQ. Therefore, no statement in this report should be construed as an official position of AHRQ or of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The information in this report is intended to help healthcare decision makers—patients and clinicians, health system leaders, and policymakers, among others—make well-informed decisions and thereby improve the quality of healthcare services. This report is not intended to be a substitute for the application of clinical judgment. Anyone who makes decisions concerning the provision of clinical care should consider this report in the same way as any medical reference and in conjunction with all other pertinent information (i.e., in the context of available resources and circumstances presented by individual patients).

This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice guidelines and other quality enhancement tools, or as a basis for reimbursement and coverage policies. AHRQ or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorsement of such derivative products may not be stated or implied.