INNOVATIVE HORIZONS IN FALL RISK - SELF-MANAGEMENT FOR OLDER ADULTS - AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW AND MODEL

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Aditya

Falls affect 1 in 4 community-dwelling older adults, yet fall-prevention programs often show high rates and low adherence despite emphasis on knowledge, mobility, and fear of falling. Guided by the Health Belief Model, this integrative review examines how perceptions and beliefs shape fall risk self-management. PubMed, PsychINFO, and CINAHL searches identified 30 studies meeting inclusion criteria, most from the last decade. Findings connect fall risk and injury perceptions, self-management efficacy, and perceived benefits versus barriers to cues-to-action and self-efficacy, informing a conceptual model.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Purpose and theoretical basis

Search strategy and inclusion criteria

Study characteristics and key findings

Conceptual model and implications

776 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.2635 INNOVATIVE HORIZONS IN FALL RISK SELF-MANAGEMENT FOR OLDER ADULTS: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW AND MODEL Angela Shanahan1, Patricia Groves2, and Harleah Buck1, 1. University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States, 2. University of Iowa College of Nursing, Iowa City, Iowa, United States Falls affect 1 in 4 community-dwelling older adults. Despite focusing on fall prevention factors such as knowledge about falls, mobility, and fear of falling, researchers and clinicians continue to report high fall rates and low adherence to prevention programs. The Health Belief Model (HBM) suggests unexplored factors (i.e. perceptions and beliefs), which may influence older adults’ engagement in fall risk self-management. The purpose of this review was to conduct a comprehensive review of the literature examining the relationships among HBM factors: perceptions/beliefs, cues-to-action, self-efficacy, and older adults’ fall risk self-management and create a conceptual model. Pubmed, PsychINFO and CINAHL were searched using the terms: perception, belief, motivation, fall risk, and community-dwelling. Inclusion criteria: English language and included perceptions or beliefs related to fall risk. Thirty studies comprised of quantitative, qualitative, and systematic reviews met the criteria. The majority of the articles (n = 23, 60.52%) were published within the last 10 years and conducted within the United States (n = 18, 60%). The average age of participants was 75.4 years. Few studies (n = 3) examine individual perceptions/beliefs directly as they relate to self-management. Concepts were abstracted to inform the conceptual model demonstrating how the HBM concepts can innovatively inform future studies. Understanding how an individual’s beliefs: a) perception of fall risk, b) perception of injury, c) belief in ability to self-manage risk, and d) perception of benefit vs. barriers influence d) cues-to-action, and e) self-efficacy is crucial for advancing the science and developing effective strategies to support older adults in engaging in fall risk self-management.

FAQs

What problem does the review address about fall prevention in older adults?

Falls affect about 1 in 4 community-dwelling older adults, and prevention programs report high fall rates and low adherence despite focusing on factors like knowledge and fear of falling.

Which framework guides the review’s investigation of self-management?

The Health Belief Model (HBM) is used to explore how perceptions and beliefs may influence engagement in fall risk self-management.

How were studies selected and what did the review ultimately include?

PubMed, PsychINFO, and CINAHL were searched using terms related to perception, belief, motivation, and fall risk. Thirty studies (quantitative, qualitative, and systematic reviews) met inclusion criteria focused on English-language perceptions/beliefs tied to fall risk.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Aditya