Citation

Tohn E, Wilson J, Van Oss T, Gurecka M. J. Public Health Manag. Pract. 2020; 26(1): 80-82.

Affiliation

Tohn Environmental Strategies, Wayland, Massachusetts (Ms Tohn); Brown School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island (Ms Tohn); National Center for Healthy Housing, Columbia, Maryland (Mr Wilson); Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut (Dr Van Oss); and New Opportunities Inc, Waterbury, Connecticut (Mr Gurecka).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PHH.0000000000000947

PMID

31765349

Abstract

Clients receiving weatherization/energy services with an added injury prevention home assessment with modifications/repairs experienced a decline in falls and thus fall-related costs. Interventions in 35 homes were associated with significant reductions in falls from baseline to 6 months postintervention (from 94% to 9%; P <.001) and falls with calls for assistance (from 23% to 3%; P <.02). The decline in falls with calls for assistance in the intervention group was significant when adjusted for a comparison group effect (P =.07). At a median cost of $2058 per home, the addition of an injury prevention component led by an occupational therapist offers the potential to avoid expensive fall-related medical costs (lift assistance, hospital transport and admission, long-term care). Integration of injury prevention into weatherization work, which targets lower-income seniors with high energy use, offers potential to reduce costly hospitalizations and poor health outcomes.

Language: en