Abstract:

This report describes the findings of a study into the information needs and perceptions of older Australians concerning falls and their prevention. The Injury Prevention Section in the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care commissioned this project to inform the planning of communication activities of the National Falls Prevention for Older People Initiative. The principal goal of this study was to identify the most appropriate nature of information on falls and their prevention when communicating with older people or their carers. A group of 59 older Australians and carers participated in this study which consisted of seven group discussions and ten individual in-depth interviews. Study participants were drawn from metropolitan as well as rural areas and included individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The sample included older people who had experienced a fall and those who had not.