In your study article from week one by Palvanen et al. (2014) on preventing falls and injuries, how did these researchers control for the different variables in the intervention group?
Palvanen, M., Kannus, P., Piirtola, M., Niemi, S., Parkkar, J., & Jarvinen, M. (2014). Effectiveness of the chaos falls clinic in preventing falls and injuries of home-dwelling older adults: A randomized controlled trial. Injury, 45(1), 265–271. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2013.03.010
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In the study article by Palvanen et al. (2014), the researchers employed a randomized controlled trial design to assess the effectiveness of the Chaos Falls Clinic in preventing falls and injuries in older adults living at home.
To control for different variables in the intervention group, the researchers implemented several strategies. Firstly, they used a randomization process to assign participants to either the intervention group or the control group, ensuring that each participant had an equal chance of being assigned to either group. This randomization helps to minimize selection bias and the influence of confounding variables.
In addition, the researchers applied a rigorous blinding process to minimize performance bias and observer bias. The participants were not informed about the specific goals and hypotheses of the study to prevent them from altering their behavior consciously or unconsciously. The data collectors and assessors were also blinded to the group assignment of the participants during the data collection and analysis process.
Furthermore, the researchers attempted to control for potential confounding variables by implementing inclusion and exclusion criteria. They included only home-dwelling older adults without significant cognitive impairments, as assessed by a cognitive screening test. Participants with severe medical or musculoskeletal conditions that could significantly impact their risk of falls were excluded from the study. By controlling for these factors, the researchers aimed to ensure that the effects observed were specifically attributable to the intervention and not confounded by other pre-existing conditions.
It is essential to note that further details regarding the specific strategies employed to control for different variables in the intervention group can be found in the original article by Palvanen et al. (2014).
