Researchers at University of Otago Describe Findings in Injury Research (Cost-benefit analysis of fall injuries prevented by a programme of home…

Researchers at University of Otago Describe Findings in Injury Research (Cost-benefit analysis of fall injuries prevented by a programme of home modifications: a cluster randomised controlled trial)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health & Medicine Week -- Current study results on Injury Research have been published. According to news reporting from Wellington, New Zealand, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, "Injuries due to falls in the home impose a huge social and economic cost on society. We have previously found important safety benefits of home modifications such as handrails for steps and stairs, grab rails for bathrooms, outside lighting, edging for outside steps and slip-resistant surfacing for outside areas such as decks."

Financial support for this research came from Health Research Council of New Zealand (see also Injury Research).

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from the University of Otago, "Here we assess the economic benefits of these modifications. Using a single-blinded cluster randomised controlled trial, we analysed insurance payments for medically treated home fall injuries as recorded by the national injury insurer. The benefits in terms of the value of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) averted and social costs of injuries saved were extrapolated to a national level and compared with the costs of the intervention. An intention-to-treat analysis was carried out. Injury costs per time exposed to the modified homes compared with the unmodified homes showed a reduction in the costs of home fall injuries of 33% (95% CI 5% to 49%). The social benefits of injuries prevented were estimated to be at least six times the costs of the intervention. The benefit-cost ratio can be at least doubled for older people and increased by 60% for those with a prior history of fall injuries. This is the first randomised controlled trial to examine the benefits of home modification for reducing fall injury costs in the general population."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "The results show a convincing economic justification for undertaking relatively low-cost home repairs and installing safety features to prevent falls."

For more information on this research see: Cost-benefit analysis of fall injuries prevented by a programme of home modifications: a cluster randomised controlled trial. Injury Prevention, 2016;23(1):22-26. (BMJ Publishing Group - group.bmj.com/; Injury Prevention - injuryprevention.bmj.com/)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting M.D. Keall, Dept. of Public Health, He Kainga Oranga, Housing and Health Research Programme, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand. Additional authors for this research include N. Pierse, P. Howden-Chapman, J. Guria, C.W. Cunningham and M.G Baker.

Keywords for this news article include: Wellington, Injury Research, Risk and Prevention, Australia and New Zealand.

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