Feature of the Month

Fatalities and Injuries from Falls Among Older Adults

Older adults are at an increased risk for falls for many reasons, which are discussed in detail in the Fall Prevention module. In 2003, 1.8 million older Americans were treated in an emergency room for nonfatal injuries caused by falls. One of the most common injuries is hip fracture, which can lead to long-term functional disabilities that can result in the admission to a nursing home for a year or more. These injuries often result in death, with 13,700 older Americans aged ≥ 65 dead as a result of falls the same year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently analyzed the rates of fatalities and injuries from falls among older Americans 65 years and older (CDC 2006). During 1993 to 2003, the overall rate of deaths caused by falls increased with a higher increase in men than women, while the rate of hospitalizations from hip fracture decreased. One contributing factor to the increase in falls may be the increase in life expectancy from 75.5 years in 1993 to 77.6 years in 2003. As life expectancy increases, older adults live longer with chronic diseases, which may contribute to their increased risk for falls. In addition, they may not be able to recover as well from a fall as they age. The good news is that intervention programs, such as the ENAFS Fall Prevention module, designed to provide this age group with information about decreasing their risk factors for falls, are effective in reducing the number of falls in this age group.

Want more information?? Visit: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/preventadultfalls.htm for fact sheets, brochures, posters and other resources on preventing falls among older adults.

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