Age and Ageing · 1977 · 380 citations · 0 references
Public HealthGeriatric MedicineOrthopaedic SurgeryEpidemiologyGeriatricsGerontologyFall RiskInjury EpidemiologyInjury RiskMortality AnalysisPopulation AgingFall-related Injury RiskFall-related Morbidity AssessmentFalls EpidemiologyFalls In Older AdultsFalls In The ElderlyIncidence Across Age GroupsInjury Risk From FallsLongitudinal Correlation Study
Falls among older adults are linked to high morbidity and mortality, yet no longitudinal study has previously examined their incidence. The authors conducted a five‑year prospective study of an active ambulatory institutionalized cohort aged over 65 to track fall events. During the study, 45% of participants fell at least once, yielding an annual rate of 668 per 1000, with women experiencing higher rates, injury severity rising with age, 17.5% of falls resulting in serious injury, and a tendency for falls to cluster before death.
Falls among the elderly, although associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, have not been previously the subject of a longitudinal study. This five-year prospective study of an active ambulatory institutionalized population over 65 years of age, revealed an annual fall rate of 668 incidents per 1000, with a rising frequency in successive age groups after age 75. Forty-five per cent of all subjects suffered at least one fall during the study period. Women had a higher fall rate in all age groups and the severity of their injuries appeared to increase with age. Injuries severe enough to be brought ordinarily to the immediate attention of a physician occurred in 17.5% of falls. Among subjects who ultimately died after suffering many falls, there appeared in some to be a 'clustering' of falls prior to death.