The effect of Tai Chi Chuan in reducing falls among elderly people: design of a randomized clinical trial in the Netherlands [ISRCTN98840266]

Table 2 Variables and timing measurements

Variable	Time measured
	Baseline	3 months	6 months	12 months
Inclusion and exclusion variables	TQ
Falls and near-falls	Continuously every day when fall occur
Severity of fall incidents	Continuously every day when fall occur
Sociodemografic, physical and environmental factors	WQ
Balance (Berg Balance Scale)	M	M		M
Fear of falling (Falls Efficacy Scale)	OQ	OQ		OQ
Physical parameters (blood pressure, heart rate, lung function parameters)	M	M		M
Physical activity (Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly)	WQ	WQ	PQ	WQ
Functional status (Groningen Activity Restriction Scale)	WQ	WQ	PQ	WQ
Quality of life (EuroQol)	WQ	WQ	PQ	WQ
Mental health (SF-36)	WQ	WQ	PQ	WQ
Use of walking devices, medication, use of health care services, adjustments to the house	WQ	WQ	PQ	WQ
Compliance to intervention		X

TQ = telephone questionnaire; WQ = written questionnaire; OQ = oral questionnaire; PQ = written questionnaire send by post; D = diary, by self report, concurrent registration; M = measurement (e.g. by a test); X = reported by teacher

ISSN: 1471-2318