Artikel
Growing old at home – Evaluation of the effectiveness of preventive home visits to reduce the number of falls and to preserve quality of life
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Autoren
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Tobias Luck
- Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Tom Motzek
- Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Melanie Luppa
- Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Herbert Matschinger
- Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Steffen Fleischer
- Institute of Nursing and Health Science, Medical Faculty, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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Yves Sesselmann
- Institute of Nursing and Health Science, Medical Faculty, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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Gudrun Roling
- Institute of Nursing and Health Science, Medical Faculty, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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Katrin Beutner
- Institute of Nursing and Health Science, Medical Faculty, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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Hans-Helmut König
- Department of Medical Sociology and Health Economics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Johann Behrens
- Institute of Nursing and Health Science, Medical Faculty, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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Steffi G. Riedel-Heller
- Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| Veröffentlicht: | 12. Oktober 2011 |
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Gliederung
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Background: Preventive home visits (PHVs) offer the possibility to identify and to treat risk factors for institutionalization in old age. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of PHVs to reduce the number of falls and to preserve the health-related quality of life in a community sample aged 80 years and older.
Materials and methods: The study was designed as a prospective multi-center randomized controlled trial including a baseline assessment and one follow-up assessment after 18 months. Participants (n=305) were randomized to an intervention group (IG) and a control group (CG). The intervention group received up to three PHVs including tailored interventions on identified risks factors for institutionalization.
Results: The number of falls significantly increased between the pre- and the post measurement in the CG and significantly decreased in the IG. Overall health-related quality of life (EQ VAS) remained stable over time in the IG and significantly decreased in the CG. No intervention effects were found on health-related quality of life reflecting more specific domains like mobility or pain (EQ 5D sum score).
Conclusions: Results of the evaluation indicate that PHVs are effective in reducing the number of falls and in preserving overall health-related quality of life in elderly people living in the community. PHVs, however, are complex and individualized interventions. Further research is required to identify those factors of PHVs that specifically cause the changes in complex outcome measures like the quality of life.
Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grant 01GT0601 and 01GT0604).
