TY  - JOUR
AU  - Crowe, Brandi M.
AU  - Kemper, Karen
AU  - Van Puymbroeck, Marieke
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/11/05
TI  - Barriers Encountered When Implementing a Community Evidence-Based Fall Prevention Program
JO  - OBM Geriatrics
SP  - 330
VL  - 09
IS  - 04
AB  - Falls and fall-related injuries are one of the leading causes of death among older adults aged 65+ in the United States. Americans’ life expectancy has increased and fall risk grows with age. While several evidence-based fall prevention programs are utilized to decrease fall risk among community-dwelling older adults, little research focuses on challenges or strategies related to sustained fall prevention program implementation. The purpose of this multi-method descriptive study was to assess fall risk outcome changes in community-dwelling South Carolinians aged 60+ (n = 481) following participation in A Matter of Balance (AMOB), an evidence-based fall prevention program. The study also aimed to better understand AMOB participants (open-ended responses, n = 209), facilitators (n = 15), and organizers’ (n = 6) perspectives regarding AMOB for the purpose of identifying constraints to sustained AMOB implementation. Pre-post survey data indicated statistically significant (p < 0.05) changes in participants’ fear of falling, the impact of fall-related concerns on participation in social activity, and confidence to manage falls. Analysis of qualitative data collected via open-ended survey items and interviews resulted in six themes: time-intensive program, marketing AMOB, curriculum implementation, AMOB facilitator training and mentorship, need for community-based participatory planning, and the need for an improved communications network. Qualitative themes reflect barriers to sustained AMOB dissemination. Study findings, implications for practice and future research, and study limitations are discussed.
SN  - 2638-1311
UR  - https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.geriatr.2504330
DO  - 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2504330
ID  - Crowe2025
ER  -