Self-Reported Falls and Fall-Related Injuries Among Persons Aged >65 Years — United States, 2006
Source: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (CDC)

Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries for persons aged >65 years. National estimates for rates of fatal falls and fall-related injuries treated in emergency departments have been published previously; however, this report presents the first national estimates of the number and proportion of persons experiencing fall-related injuries associated with either restricted activity or doctor visits. The results in this study suggest that in 2006, approximately 1.8 million persons aged >65 years (nearly 5% of all persons in that age group) sustained some type of recent fall-related injury. Even when those injuries are minor, they can seriously affect older adults’ quality of life by inducing a fear of falling, which can lead to self-imposed activity restrictions, social isolation, and depression. In addition, fall-related medical treatment places a burden on U.S. health-care services. In 2000, direct medical costs for fall-related injuries totaled approximately $19 billion. A recent study determined that 31.8% of older adults who sustained a fall-related injury required help with activities of daily living as a result, and among them, 58.5% were expected to require help for at least 6 months.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 10th, 2008 at 1:03 pm and is filed under Age and Aging, Health and healthcare, Safety. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.