NYMC Faculty Publications

Females Fall More From Heights but Males Survive Less Among a Geriatric Population: Insights From an American Level 1 Trauma Center

DOI

10.1186/s12877-019-1252-6

Journal Title

BMC Geriatrics

First Page

238

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

August 2019

Department

Surgery

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Approximately one third of subjects >/=65 year old and half of subjects >/=80 years old sustain a fall injury each year. We aimed to study the outcomes of fall from a height (FFH) among older adults. We hypothesized that in an elderly population, fall-related injury and mortality are the same in both genders. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted between January 2012 and December 2016 in patients who sustained fall injury at age of at least 60 years and were admitted into a Level 1 Trauma center. Patients were divided into 3 groups: Gp-I: 60-69, Gp-II: 70-79 and Gp-III: >/=80 years old. Data were analyzed and compared using Chi-square, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and logistic regression analysis tests. RESULTS: Forty-three percent (3665/8528) of adult trauma patients had FFH and 59.5% (2181) were >/= 60 years old and 52% were women. The risk of fall increased with age with an Odd ratio (OR) 1.52 for age 70-79 and an OR 3.40 for >/=80. Females fell 1.2 times more (age-adjusted OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.05-1.45) and 47% of >/=80 years old suffered FFH. Two-thirds of FFH occurred at a height

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