Table 1 Summary of aim, methods, participants and reported results on gender analysis, if applicable, for the included quantitative studies and studies with a mixed design

Whitehead et al. [43]

Investigating the reason for not taking up fall or injury prevention strategy among older people who have sustained a fall and attended an emergency department.

Structural individual interviews

Results presented in counts and percentages

60 (44 women and 16 men) community dwelling participants who attended the emergency department of a public hospital with a fall. Mean age 78 years.

Country: Australia

Considerably more women than men mentioned already being active enough (women 27.3%, men 18.8%); can’t do exercises (women 22.7%, men 12.5%); and can’t leave house/spouse (women 13.3%, men 0%), as reason for reluctance to take part in exercise classes.

Yardley et al. [46]

To determine whether threat or coping appraisal are most closely related to older people’s intention to undertake strength and balance training.

Postal survey (n. 451) and structural interviews (n.107)

Structural equation modeling

558 (397 women and 161 men) older people. Aged between 60 and 95 years, mean age 74.

Country: UK

Younger respondents and women were somewhat more positive in their coping appraisal than were older respondents and men. Female gender was positively related to threat appraisal (r = .11, p = 009) and coping appraisal (r = .18, p = .001). Women were slightly less inclined than men to undertake SBT.

Yardley et al. [47]

To determine the extent to which older people, in different sectors, are willing to engage in different falls prevention activities.

Postal survey

Logistic regressions

5440 (2846 women and 2482 men) patients from 10 general practices. Aged > 54 years.

Country: UK

Substantially more women than men indicated that they were likely to attend group sessions (p < 0.001), and carry out SBT at home (p < 0.001).

Lin et al. [32]

To explore attitudes and beliefs of Taiwanese older women regarding SBT programs and their intentions to attend such programs.

Survey

Multiple linear regressions and Pearson’s correlations

221 women recruited from college for people with a wish to learn in later life. Aged between 55 and 94 years, mean age 72.

Country: Taiwan

Only women included.

Snodgrass and Rivett [39]

To explore the views and perceptions of older people about falls and falls injury prevention services, to identify incentives and barriers to attending a falls injury prevention service.

Survey

95% confidence interval (CI)

75 members of community groups. No experience of fall prevention exercises required. Aged between 61 and 93 years, mean age 74. Sex not reported.

Country: Australia

Statistics not reported according to gender.

Hedley et al. [26]

To explore the reasons why the participants either did or did not adhere to an RCT intervention with both group and home exercises.

Mixed design:

Qualitative: Individual interviews and one focus group

Quantitative: Attendance rates, gait and balance assessments

Thematic analyses and descriptive statistics

5 community dwelling women. Participants in the Staying Steady program with 32 weeks of group and home based exercises. Aged between 60 and 88 years, mean age 77.

Country: UK

Only women included.

Robinson et al. [36]

To explore the process of behavior change in a small sample of older people with the fall-associated chronic liver disease primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) receiving either a standard or an enhanced program of strength and balance training.

Mixed design:

Individual interviews and graphical representations of patient-reported outcomes measures (PBC-40; FES-I; SEE Scale)

Critical realist paradigm of enquiry

9 community dwelling women with PBC who participated in a 6-week or 6-month strength and balance training program. Aged between 63 and 80 year. mean age 70 year.

Country: UK

Only women included.