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Falls Among Older Adults

   Falls are a serious public health problem among older adults. More than one third of adults age 65 or older fall each year (Hornbrook et al. 1994; Hausdorff, Rios, and Edelber 2001).  Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths (Murphy2000).  In 2001, more than 11,600 people age65 and older died from fall-related injuries (CDC2004).

Older adults are hospitalized for fall-related injuries five times more often than they are for injuries from other causes (Alexander, Rivara, and Wolf 1992). In 2003, more than1.8 million seniors were treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries and 421,000 were hospitalized (CDC 2004).  Among older adults who fall, 10% to 20% suffer moderate to severe injuries such as hip fractures or head traumas that reduce mobility and independence and increase the risk of premature death (Sterling, O’Connor, and Bonadies 2001).

The cost of fall injuries for people age 65 or older in 1994was $27.3 billion; by 2020, the cost of fall injuries is expected to reach $43.8 billion (figures adjusted for inflation; Englander, Hodson, and Terregrossa 1996).

Programs

Remembering When: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program —
   In October 2000, CDC began funding state health departments in Arkansas, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Virginia to implement and evaluate Remembering When: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults. This curriculum, which was developed by the National Fire Protection Association, CDC, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and other partners, is the first program of its kind to educate older adults about prevention of both fall- and fire-related injuries. To date, more than 510 group presentations (with 12,427 attendees) and 3,566 individual or home presentations have been conducted at the local level. More than4,300 smoke alarms and 525 grab bars have been installed in the homes of older adults. Research is underway to measure the program’s effectiveness.

Research

A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Multifaceted Fall Prevention Strategies in Community Settings —
   In October 2002, CDC funded the Wisconsin Department of Health, in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin, to conduct a randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a comprehensive approach to preventing falls among high-risk adults age 65 and older. This project uses two complementary strategies: a comprehensive at-home assessment followed by individualized risk reductions, and a broad-based program to educate primary care physicians and other health practitioners.