Falls and related injuries are major public health problems among older people (OP). The use of fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs) has been identified as a risk factor for falls, yet the use of the drugs among OP is common. Previous studies showed that OP have low awareness about FRIDs. Education materials (EMs) have the potential to be used to enhance knowledge of OP on various health-related topics including FRIDs. This study employed a focus group discussion (FGD) to seek the opinions of key stakeholders in OP care about EMs on FRIDs. Nineteen healthcare providers (HCPs) participated in the FGDs which were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The HCPs believed that the awareness of OP about medications as a risk factor for falls is low. EMs on FRIDs were well received by the HCPs, and were associated with several benefits. Several topics were recommended to be included in the EMs with the aim to enhance the awareness and risk perceptions about FRIDs among OP and to promote HCP-patient communication about the drugs. The HCPs' opinions may assist the development of EMs on FRIDs by informing the priorities and scope of content, thus ensuring the suitability and relevance for OP.

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Background: A common contributory factor to falls is the use of medicines, especially those commonly known as “fall-risk increasing drugs” (FRIDs). The use of FRIDs is common among older people (OP). However, OP and their family caregivers (FCGs) are largely unaware of FRIDs and their risks in increasing the risk of falls (ROF). Methods: A booklet which aims to provide information on topics related to FRIDs was developed. The booklet was reviewed by a panel of 14 reviewers, and the content validity index (CVI) for each subsection of the booklet was computed. Pilot testing of the booklet utilized a pre-post intervention study design and included 50 OP and 50 FCGs as study participants. Perceived knowledge of the participants was assessed prior to and after completing the booklet. Participants’ opinions on the usefulness and usability of the booklet were also obtained. Results: The booklet contained eight sections and each subsection of the booklet had a CVI ranging from 0.93 to 1.00. Completing the booklet resulted in improved perceived knowledge scores for each perceived knowledge item among both the OP and FCG groups (all items: p-value < 0.001). The participants perceived the booklet as useful and usable, as evidenced by almost all the perceived usefulness and usability items having a score of over 4.0. Conclusions: The FRIDs booklet developed in this study had good content validity and was widely accepted by the OP and FCGs. The positive effect on the participants’ knowledge of topics related to FRIDs means that the booklet could be useful as a patient education tool to enhance FRIDs knowledge and awareness among OP and FCGs.