Online Delivery of the Individualized Reduction of Falls Intervention for Persons With Multiple Sclerosis Who Use a Wheelchair or Scooter Full-time: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND: People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who use a wheelchair or scooter full-time fall frequently; however, fall prevention programming that meets the unique needs of this population is limited. This study examined the preliminary efficacy of a group-based online fall prevention and management intervention designed specifically for people with MS. METHODS: This pre/post intervention, mixed-methods study included people with MS who used a wheelchair or scooter full-time, experienced at least 1 fall within the past year, and transferred independently or with minimal or moderate assistance. Participants engaged in a 6-week, online, individualized, multicomponent fall prevention and management intervention: Individualized Reduction of Falls-Online (iROLL-O). RESULTS: No statistically significant change in fall incidence occurred after iROLL-O. However, fear of falling significantly decreased (P <. 01) and knowledge related to fall management (P =. 04) and fall prevention and management (P =. 03) significantly improved. Qualitative results indicated that participants valued the opportunity for peer learning and iROLL-O’s attention to diverse influences on fall risk. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to examine the preliminary efficacy of an online fall prevention and management intervention for people with MS who use a wheelchair or scooter full-time. iROLL-O has promise, and participants found it valuable. Further efforts are needed to retain iROLL-O participants with lower confidence and functional mobility, and more research is needed to investigate the impact of the intervention on key outcomes over time.