Transcript Slide 1

Fall-related Injuries and
Consequences/Severity among
Older Adults
Epidemic Proportions of Falls
Each year, 1 in 3 older adults falls.*
Older
Adults Who
Fall Each
Year
33%
67%
*Source: Hornbrook MC, Stevens VJ, Wingfield DJ, Hollis JF, Greenlick MR, Ory MG. Preventing falls among
community–dwelling older persons: results from a randomized trial. The Gerontologist 1994:34(1):16–23.
Proportional distribution of Ohio population1,
vs. fall-related ED visits2, inpatient discharges2
and deaths3, by age group, 2009
<1-64 years
65 years+
13,7%
20,4%
70,3%
82,2%
86,3%
79,6%
29,7%
ED Visits
Hospitalizations
17,8%
Deaths
Population
Sources: 1US Census; 2Ohio Hospital Association; 3ODH, Office of Vital Statistics
Consequences of Falls
 Injury and Death
 Fear of Future Falls
 Restriction of Activities/Social Isolation
 Inability to Regain Pre-fall level of Functioning
 Lack of Independence
 Depression
Number of fall-related deaths,1 HIDs2 and ER visits,2 and selfreported injured fallers3,4 and fallers,3,5 for ages 65 and older,
Ohio, 20091,2 (2006 BRFSS3,4,5)
827
Deaths1
16,454
Hospitalizations2
2.3 Deaths per Day
1.9 Hospitalizations per hour
63,964 ER visits2
ER Visit every 8 minutes
67,448 Self-reported
Injured Fallers3, 4
214,596 Self-reported Fallers or
14.3% of population 65+3, 5
Fall every 2.5 minutes
Unreported Falls - Unknown
Sources: 1ODH Office of Vital Statistics, 2009 data 2Ohio Hospital Association, 2009 data 3BRFSS Survey, 2006
4Self-reported fallers (estimated) whose fall in preceding 3 months resulted in a doctor’s visit or restricted activities
for at least one day 5BRFSS respondents who reported experiencing a fall in the preceding 3 months
Cause of injury
Total charges (in millions) for inpatient treatment1 of
leading causes of injury, by type of injury, Ohio, 2002-05
falls
MV traffic
assault
self harm
MV nontraffic
unintentional poisoning
struck by/against
fire/burn
other land transport
machinery
overexertion
bicyclist, other
cut/pierce
unintentional firearms
pedestrian, other
suffocation
drowning
$741
$194
$168
$72
$71
$48
$44
$30
$28
$20
$18
$17
$17
$6
$4
$4
$0
1Source:
Ohio Hospital Association
$1,194 (or
$300 million
per year)
Falls charges represent 45 percent
of the $2.6 billion total for all leading
causes of injury combined.
Falls
45%
Other
Injuries
55%
charges in millions of dollars
$400
$800
$1 200