In this area , there are examples of good and moderate quality studies which confirm the cost-effectiveness of diverse physical activity interventions in fall prevention .
Background Healthy ageing and health promotion ( HP ) actions for older people have become an important health sector priority .
At the same time , the application of economic evaluation methods in the field of health interventions in order to support allocative decision processes is of growing importance .
The aims of the review were to analyze what the existing evidence is on cost-effectiveness of HP and /or primary prevention ( PP ) programmes for older people whilst providing deeper insight into method ological aspects of such studies , their overall quality and issues related to practical implementation of results .
Breaking bones, breaking budgets: a clinical and economic evaluation of a prospective, randomized, practice controlled, intervention study in the prevention of accidents in primary care.
OBJECTIVE This longitudinal study was design ed to assess the effect of an educational training package for primary health care teams in accident prevention for older people , with reference to the incidence of accidents and their associated economic consequence . METHODS Nineteen general practice s in the West Midl and s serving a population of 138 397 were allocated r and omly at the practice level either to receive  training  or continue normal practice . Study data was collated from the initial telephone call , reporting an accident , to the surgery , advice/treatment given at the practice and /or the community , casualty , inpatient care , written correspondence to the patient 's GP and any subsequent follow-up visits for accidents to people aged 65 years or older . RESULTS One thous and , six hundred and sixty-six ( 8.2 % ) patients aged 65 years or older registered with the participating practice s experienced one accident or more , costing the NHS pound 1.4 million . Extrapolated nationally , annual costs to the NHS for accidents to older people amount to pound 568 million . The educational package had no significant impact on the incidence of accidents . A paucity of general safety advice was given [ 48 ( 1.8 % ) occasions ] . CONCLUSIONS Budgets are being eroded and patients are suffering unnecessarily due to lack of accident prevention advice . This should be considered a priority within the primary health care team . Educational packages alone do not appear to be a cost-effective approach to accident prevention in primary care
In this area , there are examples of good and moderate quality studies which confirm the cost-effectiveness of diverse physical activity interventions in fall prevention .
Background Healthy ageing and health promotion ( HP ) actions for older people have become an important health sector priority .
At the same time , the application of economic evaluation methods in the field of health interventions in order to support allocative decision processes is of growing importance .
The aims of the review were to analyze what the existing evidence is on cost-effectiveness of HP and /or primary prevention ( PP ) programmes for older people whilst providing deeper insight into method ological aspects of such studies , their overall quality and issues related to practical implementation of results .