Public Health · Internal Medicine ·
Review finds mixed evidence for fall prevention in older adults in LMICs
A systematic review included 17 studies involving 2,030 older adults across nine low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including 12 randomized trials. Exercise-based programs commonly improved balance, mobility, or fear of falling, but evidence that they reduce falls was mixed.
- Review included 17 studies and 2,030 participants.
- Exercise programs often improved balance and mobility.
- Fall-reduction findings were mixed.
- Several studies had risk-of-bias concerns.
Researchers searched seven databases for studies published from January 2003 through December 2023 on fall-prevention interventions among adults aged 60 years or older in LMICs. The review included 17 studies from nine countries, with 2,030 participants; 12 studies were randomized trials. Because the designs, populations, and interventions varied, the authors synthesized findings narratively rather than pooling results.
Exercise-based interventions were most common and included balance training, yoga, culturally adapted dance, and multisystem physical exercise. All six studies assessing fear of falling reported improvement. Of eight studies reporting falls, three found fewer falls; one of those had no concurrent comparison group. Risk-of-bias assessments identified concerns in several studies: among the randomized trials, four were at low risk, five raised some concerns, and three were at high risk.
The findings suggest potential benefits for balance, mobility, and fear of falling, but do not establish that these interventions reliably reduce falls in LMIC settings. Variation in study methods and the risk of bias limit certainty; culturally adapted programs require further evaluation in diverse settings.
In practice
For clinicians and services caring for adults aged 60 years or older in LMICs, the review suggests that exercise-based fall-prevention programs may improve balance, mobility, and fear of falling. It does not establish a reliable reduction in falls: only three of eight studies reporting falls found fewer, and one lacked a concurrent comparison group. The evidence is heterogeneous, and several trials had risk-of-bias concerns, so these findings do not support a firm change in practice or a claim of proven fall reduction.
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BMC Public Health: Interventions for falls among older adults in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.