DKVF Conference: Insights on cluster-RCTs in Elder Care

Exploring the Frontiers of Elder Care Research

Greetings, I’m Sónia Alves, a Senior Clinical R&D Specialist at LINDERA. It was my pleasure to present some preliminary findings at the “22. Deutscher Kongress für Versorgungsforschung” (DKVF) conference in Berlin, alongside my colleague and co-author Marie Kura.

This was a pivotal moment in my career, transitioning from academia to the practical realm of AI-driven med-tech. Let me share these initial insights from our study conducted in partnership with Prof. Dr. Jürgen Zerth and Sebastian Müller from Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, also poster co-authors.

The LINDERA Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial Study: A Glimpse into Elder Care Challenges

Our study on fall prevention in elder care homes has revealed several important aspects of conducting controlled trials in real-life environments. Despite a high dropout rate of 55% – a challenge prevalent not only during the COVID-19 pandemic but also in general elder care research – we have unearthed some relevant preliminary findings.

Initial Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial Outcomes:

• Control Group: We observed a statistically significant increase of 14.2% in the Fall Risk Score over the first six months.
• Intervention Group: This group showed an average reduction of 15.8% in the Fall Risk Score. Although this was not statistically significant, it suggests a potential trend that we are investigating further.

Delving into the Preliminary Results

These preliminary results prompt essential questions needing deeper exploration. Are the outcomes reflective of the distribution of underlying risk factors, or do they point to differences between the groups? These early findings are a starting point for more comprehensive analysis and understanding.

My Journey: Bridging Academic Research with Real-World Application

This conference marked a significant step in my journey from academic research to practical application in an AI-driven med-tech context. The transition has been an eye-opening experience in understanding how research can be translated into real-world solutions.

Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial Early Learnings

• Addressing Challenges in Elder Care: Our initial findings highlight issues like the lack of skilled professionals and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Emphasizing Objective Standards: Despite these challenges, our work at LINDERA emphasizes the importance of objective outcomes and caregivers-independent standards in fall prevention.

Forward with Emerging Insights

As I continue at LINDERA, these preliminary insights from our study, though faced with limitations, offer a valuable glimpse into the complexities of controlled trials in real-world and practical settings. I am optimistic that these early findings will lead us to develop more effective, impactful elder care solutions.