Hypnosis for Fear of Falling in Older Adults

NCT04726774 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: BASEC 2018-01550SNCTP000003110
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 32
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Fear of falling is associated with numerous negative health outcomes in older adults and can limit rehabilitation. Few treatments are effective in fear of falling. Hypnosis is now recognized as an effective treatment for a variety of conditions, especially anxiety and pain, which can be integrated safely with conventional medicine. Therefore, the objective was to assess the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial to examine whether hypnosis reduces fear of falling in an inpatient geriatric population. In this randomized pilot trial, patients hospitalized in geriatric rehabilitation wards were randomly allocated to either an intervention group (hypnosis plus usual rehabilitation program) or a control group (usual rehabilitation program only). Primary feasibility outcomes were recruitment rate, retention rate, and adherence to the intervention. Secondary outcomes concerned the impact of hypnosis in rehabilitation in fear of falling scores, functional scores, length of stay, and drugs.

Conditions

Rehabilitation; Fear of Falling; Older Adults

Keywords

hypnosis; fear of falling; rehabilitation; older adults; feasibility study

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Feasibility of recruitment

  recruitement rate was defined by the number of included patients dividing by the number of weeks it takes to include them.

  through study completion, an average of 6 months

• feasibility of hypnosis

  hypnosis adherence was defined by the number of total sessions of hypnosis

  through study completion, an average of 6 months

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Impact of hypnosis on fear of falling

  through study completion, an average of 6 months

• Impact of hypnosis on functional

  through study completion, an average of 6 months

• Impact of hypnosis on length of stay

  through study completion, an average of 6 months

• Impact of hypnois on number of drugs

  through study completion, an average of 6 months

Study Arms (2)

Hypnosis group

EXPERIMENTAL

The intervention consisted of two hypnosis sessions by a physician trained in medical hypnosis. The hypnosis group received also the usual rehabilitation program.

Behavioral: Hypnosis; Behavioral: Rehabilitation program

Control group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The control group follow the usual rehabilitation program which includes intensive physiotherapy for 2 weeks (i.e., focused on walking and enhancing balance exercises in group or individual and group) and patient education on the risk of falling and on prevention of falls.

Behavioral: Rehabilitation program

Interventions

Hypnosis BEHAVIORAL

Two sessions of hypnosis, about 30 minutes each, weekly provided, by a physician trained in medical hypnosis. Each session was realized as possible during walking, according to the agreement and the physical status of the participant. Each sessions of hypnosis includes 3 phases : induction, walk perception alteration and post-hypnotic suggestion.

Hypnosis group

Rehabilitation program BEHAVIORAL

Intensive physiotherapy for 2 weeks, with walking and balance exercises, (individual and group exercises). Education of risk of falling and prevention of falls.

Control group; Hypnosis group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• admitted in a rehabilitation program specialized in falls and fracture risk assessment and management
• years and over

You may not qualify if:

• psychiatrics disorders
• did not speak french
• lacking decisional capacity

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Hospital, Geneva: lead

Study Sites (1)

Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospitals

Geneva, CH-1211, Switzerland

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Cuvelier C, Hars M, Zamorani-Bianchi MP, Herrmann FR, Wieczorkiewicz CD, Zekry D, Gold G, Trombetti A. Hypnosis to reduce fear of falling in hospitalized older adults: a feasibility randomized controlled trial. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2023 Aug 9;9(1):139. doi: 10.1186/s40814-023-01366-3.

  PMID: 37559112 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Hypnosis; Rehabilitation

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mind-Body Therapies; Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Patient Care; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor Andrea Trombetti, MD

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 15, 2021
• First Posted: January 27, 2021
• Study Start: January 17, 2019
• Primary Completion: July 25, 2019
• Study Completion: July 25, 2019
• Last Updated: January 27, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CH (1)