Vandervelde Sara, Belaen Goedele, Dierckx de Casterlé Bernadette, Vlaeyen Ellen, Flamaing Johan, Delbaere Kim, Bohyn Alexandre, Milisen Koen
KU Leuven, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Academic Centre for Nursing and Midwifery, Centre of Expertise for Falls and Fracture Prevention Flanders, Kapucijnenvoer 7 bus 7001, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
KU Leuven, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Academic Centre for Nursing and Midwifery, Kapucijnenvoer 7 bus, Leuven, 7001, 3000, Belgium.
BMC Geriatr. 2025 Sep 24;25(1):692. doi: 10.1186/s12877-025-06190-3.
This study protocol aims to outline a mixed-methods study of the implementation of the BE-EMPOWERed program in four primary care areas (PCAs) in Flanders. The study assesses implementation processes and outcomes, while exploring its effectiveness on clinical outcomes.
Despite strong evidence supporting multifactorial falls prevention interventions, their implementation in clinical practice remains limited, contributing to substantial research waste. Systematic implementation science approaches are essential to address this gap. The BE-EMPOWERed program, developed using Intervention Mapping and Implementation Mapping, aims to enhance the uptake and effectiveness of multifactorial falls prevention interventions in older community-dwelling people. The program includes a seven-week group intervention for older people, workshops for healthcare professionals (HCPs), and an implementation plan tailored to PCAs.
Two-year mixed-methods study using a convergent parallel design. Qualitative data from focus group interviews and observations will assess implementation outcomes and processes, while quantitative data from a before-and-after study will evaluate the program’s effectiveness on fallers, concerns about falling, balance, walking speed and muscle strength and behavior in older people using surveys and tests at multiple time points.
The BE-EMPOWERed program addresses barriers and facilitators in translating evidence into practice, aiming to reduce falls and promote active aging. This study will offer actionable insights, tools for scaling up and evidence-based strategies for future national and international initiatives. It will also contribute to implementation science by demonstrating practical methods for bridging research into practice gaps in community-based falls prevention.
ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06105437).
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-025-06190-3.
本研究方案旨在概述一项在弗拉芒地区四个初级保健领域（PCA）实施BE-EMPOWERed项目的混合方法研究。该研究评估实施过程和结果，同时探讨其对临床结果的有效性。
尽管有强有力的证据支持多因素跌倒预防干预措施，但它们在临床实践中的实施仍然有限，导致大量研究资源浪费。系统的实施科学方法对于弥补这一差距至关重要。BE-EMPOWERed项目采用干预映射和实施映射开发，旨在提高老年社区居民多因素跌倒预防干预措施的采用率和有效性。该项目包括为老年人提供为期七周的小组干预、为医疗保健专业人员（HCP）举办的研讨会，以及针对PCA量身定制的实施计划。
采用两年期混合方法研究，采用收敛平行设计。来自焦点小组访谈和观察的定性数据将评估实施结果和过程，而前后研究的定量数据将通过在多个时间点进行调查和测试，评估该项目对跌倒者、跌倒担忧、平衡、步行速度、肌肉力量以及老年人行为的有效性。
BE-EMPOWERed项目解决了将证据转化为实践中的障碍和促进因素，旨在减少跌倒并促进积极老龄化。本研究将提供可操作的见解、扩大规模的工具以及未来国家和国际倡议的循证策略。它还将通过展示弥合基于社区的跌倒预防研究与实践差距的实用方法，为实施科学做出贡献。
ClinicalTrials.gov（NCT06105437）。
在线版本包含可在10.1186/s12877-025-06190-3获取的补充材料。
