Abstract
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.
Keywords
MedicineIncidence (geometry)Longitudinal studyInjury preventionAmbulatoryDemographyPoison controlPopulationMortality rateAge groupsOccupational safety and healthPediatricsGerontologyEmergency medicineSurgeryEnvironmental health
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Publication Info
- Year
- 1977
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 6
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 201-210
- Citations
- 378
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
C. I. Gryfe,
A. AMIES,
M. J. Ashley
(1977).
A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF FALLS IN AN ELDERLY POPULATION: I. INCIDENCE AND MORBIDITY.
Age and Ageing
, 6
(4)
, 201-210.
https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/6.4.201
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1093/ageing/6.4.201