Trend of fall-related mortality among the elderly

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the temporal trend of fall-related mortality in elderly in Brazil from 2008 to 2016. Method: Study of time series of rates of fall-related mortality according to CID-10 from 2008 to 2016. Data from the Mortality Information System on death registers of people ≥ 60 living in Brazil were used. The specific rates of fall-related mortality among the elderly were calculated through the ratio between the number of deaths and the elderly population of that year and region. The populational information was obtained from the 2000 and 2010 censuses. The variation rate and temporal trend were obtained through linear regression (p < 0.05). Results: The fall-related deaths among the elderly aged ≥ 60 amounted to 72,234 (31.2%). Falls from the same level were the most frequent (53.8%) and death rates in all ages ranged from 29.7 to 44.7 per 100,000 elders. Fall-related deaths increased with age. Conclusion: There was a growing trend of fall-related deaths among elderly in all age groups, an event which is avoidable through the adoption of preventive measures. The high rates and growing trend of fall-related deaths, as well as the aging of the Brazilian population, suggest that public policies for protecting the elderly must be prioritized.

A model for predicting fall risks of hospitalized elderly in Taiwan-A machine learning approach based on both electronic health records and comprehensive geriatric assessment

“…Falls have multiple devastating consequences, both physically and psychologically. Examples include hip fracture ( 10 ), head trauma ( 11 ), depression, social isolation and loneliness ( 12 ), disability ( 13 ) and even death ( 14 ).…”

Mortality trend from falls in Brazilian older adults from 2000 to 2019

“…It is noteworthy that accidental falls can victimize people regardless of age, sex, and socioeconomic status; nevertheless, the highest prevalence of death from this cause occurs in older adults 13,14 . Thus, discussions on this situation become even more relevant, considering the increase in life expectancy and, consequently, the greater proportion of individuals aged 60 years or older 15 .…”

“…Falls in older people represent a public health concern, considering the frequency with which they occur and the consequences for the person, their family, and the health system 14,15,18 . A decline in the quality of life of older adults has been observed as a result from fallswhich particularly and mostly affects those with lower income, compromising several aspects of their lives such as functional capacity, physical aspects, pain, emotional factors, and mental health 20 .…”

“…In this context, although data on the upward trend in the mortality rate from falls in Brazilian older adults 14,17,27,28 are available in the literature, the time series are short 14,27 and/or restricted to specific regions of the country 27,28 . Thus, studies that update this information are essential for monitoring public health policies already implemented and helping health managers in decision-making, planning, and the formulation of new policies and programs to avoid the occurrence of deaths from preventable causes such as falls.…”

Tendência de mortalidade por quedas em idosos, no Brasil, no período de 2000–2019

“…Destaca-se que quedas acidentais podem vitimar pessoas independentemente de idade, sexo e condição socioeconômica, todavia a maior prevalência de morte por essa causa ocorre em idosos 13,14 . Assim, discussões sobre essa situação tornam-se ainda mais relevantes, tendo em vista o aumento da expectativa de vida e, consequentemente, a maior proporção de indivíduos com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos 15 .…”