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Methods

Study participants—The community hip protector study is a randomised controlled trial involving women aged 75 years and older who are at high risk of hip fracture and who live in their own homes. Older women living in the northern suburbs of Sydney, Australia, who had contact with an aged care health service and met inclusion criteria were invited to participate in the study. These criteria were age greater than 74 years; two or more falls, or one fall resulting in hospital treatment, in the past year; at least one hip without previous surgery; likely to continue to live in the community for at least three months; likely to survive for at least one year; English speaker; and able to give informed consent. 12 A sample of women from the hip protector trial as well as a group of women who had refused to participate in the trial were approached to participate in the quality of life study. The sample included all women …