Older Adults’ Perceptions towards Falls and Fall Prevention Within the Absence of Fall Prevention Management in Kuwait- A Qualitative study

Hadeel Alsaleh, Amy Drahota, Julie Udell
Purpose:

This study sought to understand older people’s perspectives towards falls and falls prevention in Kuwait, which are currently unknown. 

Methods:

Qualitative interviews explored the perceptions of falls and fall prevention among Kuwaiti older people (50+ years; N = 13) and their caregivers (N = 3). Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results:

Falls prevention was an unfamiliar issue; participants’ knowledge of falls came from personal and others’ experiences, which motivated individuals to eliminate what they perceived as risk factors. alternatively, the lack of appropriate knowledge may greatly affect their engagement in fall prevention behavior (e.g. not knowing the benefits of physical activity in preventing falls). Beliefs around fate and autonomy towards fall prevention were found to be co-independent and thus co-exist. Older people were found to have positive attitudes towards preventing falls. Yet, a reliance on environmental familiarity appeared to potentially thwart actions to reduce environmental hazards. Social networks were important in older people’s lives, and valuable sources of social support and influence were identified. A new concept of ‘circular care benefits’ was developed, contributing an understanding that caring for others helps build subjective norms.

Conclusion(s):

Fall prevention practices in Kuwait are still in their infancy, and falls prevention was an unfamiliar concept among older healthcare users. We hypothesise that co-existing beliefs around fate and autonomy may contribute towards the reduction of maladaptive concerns about falling and/or the development of adaptive concerns about falling. findings further provided a unique understanding of the possible contribution that ‘circular care benefits’ make to the development of ‘subjective norms’, which provides an extension to the existing Theory of Planned Behaviour.

Implications:

Health professionals should ask about older adults’ perceptions towards falls to address any misconceptions (i.e. listing fall risk factors including the importance of fall prevention exercise programs). This evidence has important implications for developing theories around falls/falls prevention management and culturally sensitive strategies for practice, which could be held and organized by physiotherapists. Future research should explore whether these theoretical contributions transfer into a more global context, to help reduce the prevalence of falls worldwide.

Funding acknowledgements:
​HA was funded by the Kuwaiti Civil Services Commission on behalf of ​M​inistry of ​Health​​ ​in Kuwait.
Keywords:
Falls
Ageing
Perceptions
Primary topic:
Health promotion and wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity
Second topic:
Older people
Did this work require ethics approval?:
Yes
Name the institution and ethics committee that approved your work:
Faculty of Science Research Ethics Committee, University of Portsmouth, Standing Committee for the Coordination of Health and Medical Research, Kuwait
Provide the ethics approval number:
442/2016
Has any of this material been/due to be published or presented at another national or international conference prior to the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025?:
No

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