Effects of the Otago Exercise Program on Fall Prevention among Middle-Aged Elderly Diabetic Patients in the Service Area of Kham Pom Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital, Khemarat District, Ubon Ratchathani Province

Abstract

     This quasi-experimental study aimed to examine the effects of the Otago Exercise Program on fall prevention among young-old adults with diabetes in the service area of Khampom Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital, Khemmarat District, Ubon Ratchathani Province. The sample consisted of 80 participants, divided equally into two groups of 40. The experimental group included older adults with diabetes receiving care at Khampom Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital, while the comparison group comprised older adults with diabetes from Kaeng Nuea Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital in the same district. The experimental group received a researcher-developed Otago Exercise Program for 12 weeks, whereas the comparison group received routine care. Data were collected using questionnaires administered twice, before and after the intervention, between July 1, 2025, and September 30, 2025. Descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, median, and the 25th and 75th percentiles, were used to describe the data. Paired t-tests were conducted to compare mean differences within groups, and independent t-tests were used to compare mean differences between groups before and after the intervention. Statistical significance was set at 0.05.

     The findings revealed that after the intervention, both the experimental and comparison groups showed significantly higher mean scores in knowledge of fall prevention, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy in fall prevention, and fall prevention behaviors compared to baseline. Moreover, the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in all outcome variables than the comparison group at the 0.05 level.