Identification of Fall Prevention Strategies for the Military: A Review of the Literature

In the U.S. Army, falls have historically been among the top five causes of hospitalization and a leading cause of nonbattle injuries in military operations overseas. Objective: For safety and public health professionals, commanders, and supervisors looking to address this problem, a literature review was conducted to identify and summarize existing fall prevention strategies applicable to a working-age population. Methods: A total of nine literature databases were searched for articles published from 1970 to 2011. Article titles and abstracts were screened to select original research with an injury or noninjury outcome. Intervention studies were reviewed in detail and quality scored by 3 public health scientists. Results: The search identified over 2,200 articles. Of these, 525 met inclusion criteria and were reviewed in more detail, resulting in identification of 9 interventions. Nearly all of the identified interventions had been implemented in occupational environments. Study quality was rated and scores ranged from 4.5 to 8.0 (maximum 10 points). Conclusions: Few intervention studies were identified. Multifaceted programs showed the greatest promise for translation to military environments. Additional evaluation research is greatly needed to further efforts to address this leading military public health problem.