Is an impact of the Stepping On program on falls and health service use in older adults evident in routinely-collected data?
The Stepping On fall prevention program has been implemented throughout NSW since 2009 for adults aged 65+ who are at risk of falls.
Two data linkage studies are being conducted to determine whether there is a detectable impact of the Stepping On program on:
- Fall-related hospitalisations and fall-related use of Ambulance services in older residents of NSW
- Health service use in participants following program participation (i) compared to before program participation, and (ii) compared to people who did not participate in Stepping On
The results of these studies will provide information which will contribute to health service planning and strategies to better support older adults who are at risk of falls, particularly falls warranting hospitalisation.
Such information will assist in reducing the burden of fall-related injuries for the older person, the community and health services.
