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Safety on steps: a randomised controlled trial

Year:
2015
Duration:
71 months
Approved budget:
$1,199,815.23
Researchers:
Professor Michael Keall
Health issue:
Injury (intentional and unintentional)
Proposal type:
Project
Lay summary
Of all ACC claims for injury in the home, almost half are falls (loss of balance or slipping). A recently completed RCT (the ground-breaking HIPI study) has shown that repairs to home injury hazards prevent approximately 26% of all ACC-reported fall injuries. That study did not have the power to show how effective any of the particular home modifications studied were. This proposed follow-up study will fill that gap by focusing on modifications to steps accessing front doors of homes. The modifications tested will include the provision of outside lighting, slip-resistant high-visibility edging to steps, and handrails. Houses with certain step hazards will be identified by trained surveyors and then randomised to treatment and control groups. Repairs will then be made to the homes of consenting households by qualified builders. Counts of ACC claims for fall-related injuries, particularly those specifically on steps, will be the outcome measure assessed.