Injury due to falls
is a serious and preventable public health concern amongst all age groups and
demographics, but especially amongst older populations. There are many critical factors that put
seniors at greater risk of falls including: chronic and acute health
conditions, balance or gait deficits, inadequate nutrition, social isolation
and factors related to the build and social environment. Preventing falls within
this age group calls for interventions that target more than one of these risk
factors[1].
Hospitalizations
Hospitalization
rates from falls in the NWHU area were statistically higher than provincial
rates between 2010 and 2014. During this time the NWHU average hospitalization
rate was 299.9 per 100,000 per year, compared to Ontario’s average of 259.6 per
100,000 per year. However, NWHU rates decreased over this time-span; from 327.8
cases per 100,000 people in 2010 to 270.2 cases per 100,000 people in 2014,
although the decrease was not statistically significant. This indicator will continue to be monitored
in the future to determine if this trend remains.
Hospitalization rates
from falls in the NWHU have been higher amongst females (an average of 343.9 per
100,000 per year), than in males (an average of 270.2 per 100,000 per year),
although the difference is not statistically significant. As expected, older
populations have the highest rates of hospitalization from falls.
Hospitalization from falls in the NWHU
by sex, rates per 100,000, 2010-2014
Hospitalization from falls in the NWHU by age group, rates per 100,000, 2010-2014
| Age |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
Average |
|---|
| 0-19 |
102.1 |
93.5 |
121.6 |
109.6 |
91.9 |
103.7 |
|---|
| 20-44 |
186.5 |
159.6 |
106.8 |
116.0 |
131.8 |
140.1 |
|---|
| 45-64 |
301.4 |
269.7 |
279.0 |
237.6 |
281.3 |
273.8 |
|---|
| 65-74 |
823.9 |
703.0 |
824.5 |
786.6 |
402.8 |
708.2 |
|---|
| 75+ |
2,547.6 |
2,816.6 |
2,486.9 |
2,618.4 |
2,433.9 |
2,580.7 |
|---|
Source: Public Health Ontario. Snapshots:
Hospitalization for falls 2010-2014. Toronto, ON: Ontario Agency for Health
Protection and Promotion; 2016 Feb 1 [cited 2016 July 5]. Available from:
http://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/DataAndAnalytics/Snapshots/Pages/Injury-Hospitalization.aspx
Mortality
Mortality
rates from falls in the NWHU have been slightly lower than provincial rates
(although not statistically lower) in recent years. Between 2007 and 2011, the rate in the NWHU
was 8.7 deaths per 100,000 per year while in Ontario as a whole it was 9.6 per
100,000 per year.
Males in
the NWHU have had slightly higher but not statistically different mortality
rates from falls than females (10.1 per 100,000 per year vs 7.8 deaths per
100,000 per year). Those aged 75 and older had by far the highest mortality
rates of any age group, which is to be expected.
Source:
Public Health Ontario. Snapshots: Mortality from falls 2007-2011.
Toronto, ON: Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion; 2016 Feb 1
[cited 2016 July 7]. Available from http://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/DataAndAnalytics/Snapshots/Pages/Injury-Mortality.aspx
Mortality from falls in the NWHU by sex, rates per 100,000,
2007-2011
| Sex |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
Average |
|---|
| Males |
8.2 |
7.3 |
15.3 |
13.6 |
6.1 |
10.1 |
|---|
| Females |
6.4 |
8.3 |
4.3 |
9.5 |
10.5 |
7.8 |
|---|
Mortality from falls in the NWHU by age group, rates per 100,0002007-2011
| Age |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
Average |
|---|
| 0-19 |
0.0 |
4.3 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.9 |
|---|
| 20-44 |
0.0 |
3.9 |
0.0 |
4.1 |
0.0 |
1.6 |
|---|
| 45-64 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
4.3 |
0.0 |
0.9 |
|---|
| 65-74 |
0.0 |
17.6 |
17.3 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
7.0 |
|---|
| 75+ |
0.0 |
144.6 |
101.9 |
203.0 |
240.7 |
181.4 |
|---|