Traumatic brain injuries due to falls caused
nearly 8,000 deaths and 56,000 hospitalizations in
2005 among Americans 65 and older, according to a
new report from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention released in the June issue of the
Journal of Safety Research.
Traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, are caused by
a bump or blow to the head; however, they may be
missed or misdiagnosed among older adults. TBI often
results in long-term cognitive, emotional, and/or
functional impairments. In 2005, TBIs accounted for
50 percent of unintentional fall deaths and eight
percent of nonfatal fall-related hospitalizations
among older adults.
Falls are not an inevitable consequence of aging,
but they do occur more often among older adults
because risk factors for falls are usually
associated with health and aging conditions. Some of
these conditions include mobility problems due to
muscle weakness or poor balance, loss of sensation
in feet, chronic health conditions, vision changes
or loss, medication side effects or drug
interactions, and home and environmental hazards
such as clutter or poor lighting.
“Most people think older adults may only break
their hip when they fall, but our research shows
that traumatic brain injuries can also be a serious
consequence,” said Dr. Ileana Arias, director of
CDC′s National Center for Injury Prevention and
Control. “These injuries can cause long-term
problems and affect how someone thinks or functions.
They can also impact a person’s emotional
well-being.”
Each year, one in three older Americans (65 and
older) falls, and 30 percent of falls cause injuries
requiring medical treatment. In 2005, nearly 16,000
older adults died from falls, 1.8 million older
adults were treated in emergency departments, and
433,000 of these patients were hospitalized. Falls
are the leading cause of injury deaths and nonfatal
injuries for those 65 and over.
This study
analyzed 2005 data from the National Center for
Health Statistics’ National Vital Statistics System
and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s
Nationwide Inpatient Sample.
Key findings are:
Death rates for fall-related TBIs were higher
among men than women (26.9 per 100,000 and 17.8 per
100,000, respectively).
Rates for fall-related TBI hospitalizations
were similar among men and women (146.3 per 100,000
and 158.3 per 100,000, respectively).
Death and hospitalization rates for
fall-related TBIs generally increased with age.
Additional findings:
The majority of men and women hospitalized with a
fall-related TBI spent two to six days in the
hospital (54.9 percent of men; 61.5 percent of
women).
The median total charges for these
hospitalizations were $19,191 for men and $16,006
for women.
Arias also points out that as more baby boomers
reach retirement age, these types of injuries will
increase demands on the health care system unless
action is taken to prevent the injuries. “CDC has
developed tips and suggestions for older adults,
their caregivers, health care providers, and
communities to help prevent falls,” Arias said.
For older adults, their children, caregivers, and
health care providers, CDC recently developed the
“Help Seniors Live Better, Longer: Prevent Brain
Injury” initiative. Developed in collaboration with
26 organizations, it features easy-to-use English-
and Spanish-language materials in a concise
question-and-answer format to help prevent,
recognize, and respond to TBI. For more information
and materials, visit
www.cdc.gov/TraumaticBrainInjury/seniors.html.
CDC has also created resources for practitioners
and community-based organizations. “Preventing
Falls: What Works. A CDC Compendium of Effective
Community-based Interventions from Around the World”
and “Preventing Falls: How to Develop Community
Based Fall Prevention Programs for Older Adults” can
be downloaded or ordered at
http://wwwdev.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Falls/preventfalls.htm.
To access this article, please link to
www.cdc.gov/injury. For information about the
Journal of Safety Research, please link to
www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00224375. The
study citation is doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2008.05.001.
Source CDC.gov
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