The cost effectiveness of exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community: A systematic review

Abstract

Review question/objective The objective of this review is to synthesize the evidence from economic evaluations of the cost effectiveness of exercise delivered by health professionals to elderly individuals living in the community for preventing falls. Inclusion criteria Types of participants The population of interest for this review will consist of elderly individuals living in the community, anywhere in the world. Definitions of “the elderly” vary across countries. Most commonly an elderly individual is defined as a person aged 65 years or above. Types of intervention As indicated above, the interventions of interest in the proposed review are exercise delivered as a single intervention or in combination with other interventions to elderly adults living in the community by one or more trained individual. Types of outcomes The review aims to present a comprehensive synthesis of the economic evidence on the cost effectiveness of exercise delivered in the home or community setting to the elderly for preventing falls in the elderly living in the community setting. Therefore, all perspectives on cost, including costs from the individual, health care provider and societal perspective will be sought and included. Variation in estimations of cost and effect depending on whose perspective has been the basis for the conceptualization and measurement of costs will be explored in the analysis. Types of studies The review will consider all economic evaluation study designs that use the three measurement methods described above, namely the cost utility, cost-benefit or cost effectiveness method to measure cost and effect of exercise programs aimed at preventing falls and/or fall-related injuries in elderly adults living in the community.