• M C Robertson, N Devlin, M M Gardner, and A J Campbell.
• Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Otago Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand. clare.robertson@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
• BMJ. 2001 Mar 24; 322 (7288): 697-701.

ObjectivesTo assess the effectiveness of a trained district nurse individually prescribing a home based exercise programme to reduce falls and injuries in elderly people and to estimate the cost effectiveness of the programme.DesignRandomised controlled trial with one year's follow up.SettingCommunity health service at a New Zealand hospital.Participants240 women and men aged 75 years and older.Intervention121 participants received the exercise programme (exercise group) and 119 received usual care (control group); 90% (211 of 233) completed the trial.Main Outcome MeasuresNumber of falls, number of injuries resulting from falls, costs of implementing the programme, and hospital costs as a result of falls.ResultsFalls were reduced by 46% (incidence rate ratio 0.54, 95% confidence interval 0.32 to 0.90). Five hospital admissions were due to injuries caused by falls in the control group and none in the exercise group. The programme cost $NZ1803 (523 pound sterling) (at 1998 prices) per fall prevented for delivering the programme and $NZ155 per fall prevented when hospital costs averted were considered.ConclusionA home exercise programme, previously shown to be successful when delivered by a physiotherapist, was also effective in reducing falls when delivered by a trained nurse from within a home health service. Serious injuries and hospital admissions due to falls were also reduced. The programme was cost effective in participants aged 80 years and older compared with younger participants.

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