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Duke University

Publication Date

Spring 2019

Program Name

China: Health, Environment, and Traditional Chinese Medicine

Abstract

As the aging society rapidly becomes more dominant in the world, there is a pressing need for different stakeholders to tend to the needs of the aging sufficiently. This is crucial in ensuring the robustness of the healthcare system as a whole; given that it can only be as strong as its weakest link. This study focuses on one of the areas of need of the ageing society: fall prevention.

Numerous studies have been done on interventions by the government, private entities, elderly people and their caregivers to prevent occurrence and recurrence of falls. However, most of these have been carried out in the gradually aging high-income countries. There is still a wide gap in literature investigating falls among the elderly in LMIC with rapidly aging populations. This study aims to bridge this gap by documenting current fall interventions in Kunming, a rapidly aging society in China’s Yunnan Province; while investigating the viability of using technology to facilitate fall prevention in the future. To achieve these objectives, 5 key informant interviews (KIIs), 1 focused group discussion (FGD), 1 quasi focused discussion, and a survey with 30 respondents were employed.

Data analysis reveals some fall prevention efforts by the government and individuals; and a gap in efforts by non-governmental entities (both NGOs and other companies). Inspired by this gap, this study investigates – and finds-compelling factors suggesting technology could be crucial in fall prevention in rapidly aging societies in LMIC.

Disciplines

Asian Studies | Chinese Studies | Clinical and Medical Social Work | Geriatrics | Gerontology | Health and Physical Education | Health Policy | Preventive Medicine | Rehabilitation and Therapy | Social and Cultural Anthropology

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