Falls remain a leading cause of morbidity and death in older Tasmanians.
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They are also a leading cause of preventable hospitalisations.
Now, Tasmanian research is examining whether a simple phone call could improve exercise adherence and in return, keep more people out of the emergency department.
The project is being led by Olivia Mitchell - a community physiotherapist and team leader at the Kings Meadows Community Health Centre.
With $52,000 in funding from the Clifford Craig Foundation, the study will explore the effectiveness of regular follow up phone calls with clients who have completed one of the centre's strength and balance exercise programs.
The telephone strategy will be rolled out over 12 months, with the project measuring its impact on the client's functional ability, potential falls and any subsequent hospital admissions.
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With many clients often re-representing, Ms Mitchell said she wanted to learn more about what motivates people to continue home exercise programs independently, and what deters them.
"We know that exercise helps - the more active they are, the less likely they will have a fall. Also, the less likely they will have to be hospitalised," she said.
"But often they will fall off the wagon and re-represent to us.
"We want to know if we can contact them regularly, is that enough of a motivator to keep them continuing on with their home program and ultimately keep them out of hospital."
According to the State of Public Health 2018 report, between 2013 and 2017 there were 19,396 fall-related hospitalisations in Tasmania.
Falls also caused the largest proportion (31 per cent) of all injuries requiring hospitalisation.
Further, national data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showed that in 2016-17, 51 per cent of hospitalised fall occurred in the home, 21 per cent in a residential aged care facility and 13 per cent in other places.
While falls affect people of all ages, Ms Mitchell said the highest and increasing incidence - and the greatest burden - was among people over the age of 65, with women in this age bracket contributing to about 40 per cent of all fall hospitalisations.
"It [falls] is a national priority. But when you look at our population in Tasmania, particularly our older population, it's really significant," she said.
"The World Health Organisation have been onto this topic for a while.
"In 2003 it said that increasing the effectiveness of adherence is going to have a far greater impact on the health of a population, than any improved specific medical treatment. So it's just about staying active.
"We are a small community and we see these people keep coming back to us. We want to know why."
Ms Mitchell was one of six Tasmanian researchers recently awarded funding as part of the Clifford Craig Foundation's 2021 medical research grants.
She said it was great to see primary health in the spotlight in what remains a relatively untouched focus area of research.
"We are very lucky that they [CCF] were interested in our study, because we are such a small team," she said.
"But it is such an important thing to get funding for, because it is such a huge problem - not just in Tasmania, but across the world."
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