A cost-effectiveness evaluation of Dance to Health: a dance-based falls prevention exercise programme in England

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate whether the falls prevention programme Dance to Health provides the health system with an effective and cost-effective means to address the issue of older people's falls. Study design This study used a pre-post design; that is, the same assessment measures were used both before and after the programme. Methods Analysis and modelling were conducted using monitoring data (frequencies including session attendance, falls, general practitioner (GP) and hospital visits), comprehensive financial information (including all costs related to the delivery of Dance to Health), and the Public Health England economic model: ‘A return on investment tool for falls prevention programmes in older people based in the community’. Results Findings from the research show that under the suggested health intervention, there was a 58% reduction in the number of falls. Furthermore, the results also demonstrate that Dance to Health offers a potential cost saving of more than £196m over a 2-year period, of which £158m is a potential cost saving for the NHS. Conclusions The evidence outlines that Dance to Health offers the health system a cost-effective means to address the issue of older people's falls and most importantly a method that produces strong results in terms of falls prevention.