Objective: To understand the incidence pattern of fall among older adults in Anhui province during 2006-2014, and provide scientific basis for intervention strategies and decision-making.
Methods: The incidence data of fall in elderly adults from 6 sentinel hospitals in 2 national injury surveillance areas in Anhui province between 2006 and 2014 were collected for this descriptive epidemiological analysis of the overall incidence trend, demographic characteristics, case distribution and clinical characteristics of fall cases in the elderly.
Results: The fall case number, the proportions of fall cases to injury cases and to overall fall cases in the elderly all increased from 2006 to 2014. The fall was the first cause of the elderly injury during the past 9 years. The sex ratio was 0.74 and the cases in males decreased with age. In both males and females, the cases in retirees and the jobless accounted for the highest proportions. The annual incidence peak was during August to October, and two daily incidence peaks were during 9 am-11 am and 16 pm-18 pm. The elderly falls mainly occurred at home(62.07%), and more females were affected than males(70.27% vs. 50.97%). Leisure activity and homework related falls accounted for 49.18% and 28.67% respectively, and more housework related falls occurred in females than in males. Contusion/abrasion was the first injury caused by fall in males(42.63%)and fracture was the first injury caused by fall in females(47.27%). Head was the first injury site in males(38.04%)and leg was the first injury site in females(29.29%). Most injuries caused by fall were mild(55.12%)and moderate(41.84%)in severity, but the proportions of moderate and severe cases increased gradually with age.
Conclusion: Fall in the elderly has become a public health problem. It is necessary to take targeted prevention and control measures according to the gender and age distributions of the fall in the elderly.