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Citation
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McArthur AR, Peterson EW, Sosnoff J, Backus D, Yarnot R, Abou L, Kish J, Steinkellner S, Sandhu A, Rice L. Int. J. MS Care 2023; 25(2): 82-90. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who use a wheelchair or scooter full-time fall frequently; however, fall prevention programming that meets the unique needs of this population is limited. This study examined the preliminary efficacy of a group-based online fall prevention and management intervention designed specifically for people with MS.
METHODS: This pre/post intervention, mixed-methods study included people with MS who used a wheelchair or scooter full-time, experienced at least 1 fall within the past year, and transferred independently or with minimal or moderate assistance. Participants engaged in a 6-week, online, individualized, multicomponent fall prevention and management intervention: Individualized Reduction of Falls-Online (iROLL-O).
RESULTS: No statistically significant change in fall incidence occurred after iROLL-O. However, fear of falling significantly decreased (P <.01) and knowledge related to fall management (P =.04) and fall prevention and management (P =.03) significantly improved. Qualitative results indicated that participants valued the opportunity for peer learning and iROLL-O's attention to diverse influences on fall risk.
CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to examine the preliminary efficacy of an online fall prevention and management intervention for people with MS who use a wheelchair or scooter full-time. iROLL-O has promise, and participants found it valuable. Further efforts are needed to retain iROLL-O participants with lower confidence and functional mobility, and more research is needed to investigate the impact of the intervention on key outcomes over time.
Language: en |