RESEARCH PORTFOLIO

Research Projects

A portfolio of research examining falls efficacy, measurement, physical capability, intervention, implementation and digital innovation across different populations and settings.

Projects range from foundational measurement science to clinical implementation and international collaboration, with a common aim of improving understanding of how people prevent and manage fall-related situations.

MEASURE Measurement Science BRC · MdFES
UNDERSTAND Falls Efficacy Perceived × physical capability
INTERVENE Rehabilitation Prevention and management
IMPLEMENT Real-world Practice Clinical · community · digital

PORTFOLIO

Connected Research Across the Falls Journey

The projects are linked by a broader interest in the relationship between what people believe they can do, what they can physically do, and how rehabilitation and health systems can support both.

MEASUREMENT

Develop better measures

Develop and evaluate instruments that represent distinct dimensions of falls efficacy and related constructs.

CLINICAL SCIENCE

Understand capability

Examine perceived capability alongside balance, mobility, functional performance and fall-related outcomes.

TRANSLATION

Move research into practice

Explore implementation, feasibility and practical use across healthcare and community settings.

RESEARCH IN ACTION

Developing Research Through Collaboration

Research extends beyond individual studies. Students, collaborators and clinical partners contribute through presentations, research projects, knowledge exchange and international engagement.

Student research activity from the Falls Efficacy research programme
Student research and academic presentation.
Students participating in an international academic research event
International research presentation and knowledge exchange.
Student research achievement from the Falls Efficacy research programme
Recognising student research achievement.

SELECTED PROJECTS

Core Research Portfolio

Selected projects across measurement development, cross-cultural research, clinical application and intervention science.

MEASUREMENT NEAR-FALL

Balance Recovery Confidence Research Programme

Research focused on perceived capability to recover balance after destabilising events, including development, psychometric evaluation, short-form development and cross-cultural validation of the BRC.

Instrument BRC-19 · SF-BRC Research Validation · translation · clinical application
Explore BRC research →
MEASUREMENT IMPLEMENTATION

MdFES Research and Implementation

Development and evaluation of a brief multidimensional falls-efficacy measure, followed by implementation work exploring its use within routine healthcare practice.

Instrument MdFES Focus Validation · implementation · translation
Explore MdFES →
CLINICAL RESEARCH CAPABILITY

Falls Efficacy and Physical Performance

Research exploring the relationship between perceived fall-related capability and observed physical performance, including situations where confidence and capability may not correspond closely.

Perspective Perceived × actual capability Context Older adults · rehabilitation
INTERVENTION REHABILITATION

Therapeutic Falls Efficacy Project

Research involving community-dwelling older adults, community-hospital inpatients and people with visual impairment to explore therapeutic approaches across fall prevention and fall management.

Domains Prevent · recover · land · get up Approach Psychological + physical capability
Explore intervention research →
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS EXERCISE

Exercise Interventions Addressing Falls Efficacy

A scoping review examining how exercise interventions address falls efficacy in community-dwelling older adults and whether intervention targets extend beyond balance confidence.

Method Evidence synthesis Population Community-dwelling older adults
Explore intervention evidence →
FUNCTIONAL HEALTH HEALTHY AGEING

Functional Fitness MOT

Research exploring practical assessment and communication of functional capability to support proactive health, rehabilitation and healthy ageing.

Focus Functional assessment Application Healthy ageing · rehabilitation
DIGITAL HEALTH STUDENT RESEARCH

Fall Monitoring and Digital Health Applications

Student-led and supervised exploratory projects examining how digital approaches may support movement assessment, fall monitoring and related applications in rehabilitation.

Approach Digital health · movement technology Training Student research and innovation
FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT HOSPITAL

Functional Performance and Discharge Planning

Research examining the use of the five-times sit-to-stand and four-metre gait-speed tests to support early discharge planning for older adults in acute inpatient care.

Measures Sit-to-stand · gait speed Setting Acute inpatient care

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION

Research Across Countries and Cultures

International collaboration supports cross-cultural evaluation of falls-efficacy measures and enables research questions to be examined across different populations, languages and health systems.

Singapore Falls efficacy · MdFES · BRC
Japan Falls efficacy · translation research
Indonesia Falls efficacy · cross-cultural research
Thailand BRC · MdFES · clinical validation
Malaysia Falls efficacy · translation research
Other international collaborations BRC and MdFES translation and validation

RESEARCH CAPACITY

Developing the Next Generation of Researchers

Student projects form an important part of the research programme, providing opportunities to contribute to measurement, falls research, digital health and clinical innovation while developing research capability.

Student work has also been presented through local and international academic forums and conferences.

Students and researchers involved in the Falls Efficacy research programme

Students and collaborators contributing to the Falls Efficacy research programme.

Falls efficacy Digital health Fall monitoring Functional assessment Measurement Clinical research

SELECTED OUTPUTS

Recent Research Outputs

Selected publications arising from the wider falls-efficacy and related research programme.

2026

Development of a Short-form Balance Recovery Confidence (SF-BRC) Scale

Soh and colleagues · Journal of Clinical and Translational Science

BRC research →
2026

Reliability and Validity of the Balance Recovery Confidence Scale in Persons with Stroke

Wangthomrong and colleagues · Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

View BRC publications →
2025

Development and Initial Validation of a Brief Multidimensional Falls Efficacy Scale

Soh and colleagues · Journal of Frailty, Sarcopenia and Falls

MdFES research →
2025

From Research to Practice: A Pilot Implementation Study of a Falls Self-efficacy Tool in a Community Hospital

Tan and colleagues · Frontiers in Health Services

Implementation research →
2025

Assessing Falls Efficacy in Seniors: Important Insights in Hospital and Community Settings

Soh and colleagues · Journal of Frailty, Sarcopenia and Falls

Falls efficacy →

RESEARCH PATHWAY

From Research Question to Practice

Individual projects contribute to a broader translational pathway rather than functioning as isolated studies.

01

Concept

Define what needs to be understood.

02

Measure

Develop appropriate ways to assess it.

03

Investigate

Examine relationships, populations and contexts.

04

Intervene

Develop approaches relevant to identified needs.

05

Implement

Evaluate use within real-world practice.

Collaborate on a Research Project

We welcome collaboration involving falls efficacy, measurement science, rehabilitation, implementation, digital health and cross-cultural research.