Completion and return of fall diaries varies with participants' level of education, first language, and baseline fall risk

Consensus guidelines recommend the use of prospective fall diaries in studies of fall rates. We sought to determine the characteristics associated with return and successful completion of a falls diary and whether characteristics such as gender, education level, native language, income, and falls risk influenced self-reported fall rates. Two hundred and seventy people aged 65 years and older participating in a randomized controlled trial evaluating two exercise programmes. Fall diaries were collected for 6 months, then evaluated for correct completion and falls reported.