Background: ProFaNE is an EC-funded network supporting collaboration between researchers in the field of falls injury prevention. One component of ProFaNE concerns psychosocial aspects of falls prevention, which include assessment of fear of falling and attitudes to falls prevention programmes. Findings from members’ collaborative qualitative research on attitudes to falls prevention will be presented. Methods: We conducted interviews with older people, assessing their beliefs and attitudes regarding falls prevention programmes. Interviews were structured around the Theory of Planned Behaviour, were carried out in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Greece and Italy. The thematic analysis reported here compares the beliefs of those who had taken part in a falls prevention programme and those who had not been offered this option. Findings: Whilst many may reject the notion that falls are anything to do with them, participants reported being motivated to take part in programmes that are designed to improve strength and balance chiefly by a desire for, and experiences of, immediate benefits (including improved functioning and mobility, enjoyment and increased self-confidence) rather than by fear of falling. The main reported barriers to participation included lack of familiarity with such programmes, concern about exertion, transport and financial obstacles, and lack of motivation. Conclusions: Falls prevention has negative connotations for many older people. Participation in falls prevention programmes may be enhanced by maximising and promoting their immediate benefits rather than their potential for reducing falls, by removing practical barriers, and by providing opportunities to sample programmes in order to demonstrate their immediate benefits. A focus on exercise as promoting health, fitness and independence may have wider acceptability

Hip fractures are common in the elderly. These people often had a history of multiple falls, and previous fractures. Fear of falling (FOF) have being reported in the follow-up of hip fractures. Aims. To evaluate the FOF in patients just after hip fracture and before surgical treatment. Material and methods. Prospective study of patients admitted in our hospital with hip fracture (subcapital, trochanteric and subtrochanteric). All patients were evaluated using the FES-I score for FOF before surgical treatment. Clinical and social data, previous history of falls, and fractures were recorded. Exclusion criteria were a score below 8 on the Minimental test on admission and previous hip fracture. Stadistical analysis were peformed using ANOVA, chi square and contingency tables. Results. During the 7 months that lasted this work 144 hip fracture were admitted to our hospital. Only 40 had a Minimental score of 8 or more, mean age was 82 years old, they were 33 female and 7 male, 18% of them were living at home, alone, 82% with their partners or other family members, 40% had no history of previous falls, 10 falls in the last year was reported by one patient. No or little FOF were reported by 52% of patients, while 48% had fear or too much fear. We have found a statistical significant relationship between FOF and patient age (p<0,001), fracture type (p<0,05), and previous history of falls (p<0,05). Conclusion. FOF prior to hip fracture is strongly related to of age, previous falls and fracture type