Complete Health Indicator Report of Injury - Older Adult Falls Hospitalization
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Why Is This Important?
Falls are the leading cause of unintentional (accidental) injury death among adults aged 65 years and older in the United States and in New Mexico. The majority of fall-related injury deaths among older adults involve hip fractures and traumatic brain injuries. A decrease in bone density also increases the likelihood of serious injury from falls. Non-fatal injuries from a fall can limit the mobility and also result in non-independent living for many older adults. Falls among older adults are associated with an increased risk of future fall-related injury associated premature death. Many people who fall develop a fear of falling and may become more sedentary, further increasing their risk for another fall. Most falls are not a normal part the normal aging process and are preventable.
Definition
The number of hospitalizations for unintentional injury due to falls in persons age 65 years or older per 10,000 population
How Are We Doing?
Falls hospitalizations for adults aged 65 years and old has been increasing from 2014-2016, with the 2016 rate being 152 hospitalizations per 10,000 population.
How Do We Compare With the U.S.?
Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury death among adults 65 years of age and older in the United States and New Mexico. The older adult fall-related death rate in New Mexico was 91.6/100,000 in 2016, which was 52% higher than the national rate (60.2/100,000).
Evidence-based Practices
How can older adults prevent falls*? Exercise regularly to increase strength and balance. The NMDOH currently supports four evidence-based falls prevention programs and Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries (STEADI) as a clinical intervention. Most falls happen at home, where safety hazards can include rugs that are torn or do not lie flat, stairs that are in poor repair, broken or no handrails for stairs, poor lighting, and clutter on floors or in walkways. Effective strategies for preventing falls among older adults include annual screenings and any necessary follow-up for strength and balance issues; physical activity that serves to maintain strength and balance and to increase mobility; home safety modifications to reduce hazards; periodic reviews and management of all medications that have been associated with an increased risk of falling; and annual vision checks.
Data Sources
- New Mexico Population Estimates: University of New Mexico, Geospatial and Population Studies (GPS) Program.
(http://gps.unm.edu/) - Hospital Inpatient Discharge Data, New Mexico Department of Health.
How the Measure is Calculated
Numerator:
The number of hospitalizations for unintentional injury due to falls in persons age 65 years or olderDenominator:
The mid-year estimated population of adults age 65 or more years
Fall-related Hospitalizations among Adults 65+ Years of Age by County, New Mexico, 2017
Data Sources
- New Mexico Population Estimates: University of New Mexico, Geospatial and Population Studies (GPS) Program.
(http://gps.unm.edu/) - Hospital Inpatient Discharge Data, New Mexico Department of Health.
How the Measure is Calculated
Numerator:
The number of hospitalizations for unintentional injury due to falls in persons age 65 years or olderDenominator:
The mid-year estimated population of adults age 65 or more years
Data Sources
- New Mexico Population Estimates: University of New Mexico, Geospatial and Population Studies (GPS) Program.
(http://gps.unm.edu/) - Hospital Inpatient Discharge Data, New Mexico Department of Health.
How the Measure is Calculated
Numerator:
The number of hospitalizations for unintentional injury due to falls in persons age 65 years or olderDenominator:
The mid-year estimated population of adults age 65 or more years
Data Sources
- New Mexico Population Estimates: University of New Mexico, Geospatial and Population Studies (GPS) Program.
(http://gps.unm.edu/) - Hospital Inpatient Discharge Data, New Mexico Department of Health.
How the Measure is Calculated
Numerator:
The number of hospitalizations for unintentional injury due to falls in persons age 65 years or olderDenominator:
The mid-year estimated population of adults age 65 or more years
New Mexico Population Estimates
All population estimates apply to July 1 of the selected year. These estimates are considered the most accurate estimates for the state of New Mexico and should match those found on the University of New Mexico Geospatial and Population Studies website. Estimates include decimal fractions. Census tract population estimates were summed to produce County and Small Area population estimates. Population estimate totals may vary due to rounding. Population estimates for previous years are occasionally revised as new information becomes available. When publishing trend data, always be sure that your rates for earlier years match current rates on NM-IBIS that have been calculated with the most up-to-date population estimates.
Hospital Inpatient Discharge Data (HIDD)
ICD Stands for 'International Classification of Diseases.' It is a coding system maintained by the World Health Organization and the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics and is used to classify diagnoses for hospital and emergency department visits. This coding system underwent a major revision from version 9 (ICD9) to version 10 that went into effect October 1, 2015. In most cases, the two versions do not provide comparable results and the two time periods should not be combined in a single query. The hospital inpatient discharge data include visits to NON-FEDERAL HOSPITALS only. Visits to Veteran's Administration (VA) facilities and Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities have not been included, unless specifically stated otherwise. The data include all hospital visits. Persons with multiple hospital visits will be counted multiple times. Transfer visits have not been removed from the dataset. Patients who were transferred from one facility to another will have data records at each facility. Newborns have been excluded from the data when the hospital stay was for childbirth. The hospital inpatient dataset includes only New Mexico residents hospitalized in New Mexico hospitals, and will undercount hospitalizations of New Mexico residents who visited a hospital in another state. In cases of serious injuries near the state borders, oftentimes patients will be transported to a nearby trauma center in the bordering state.
Health Topic Pages Related to: Injury - Older Adult Falls Hospitalization
Community Health Resources and Links
- Healthy People 2030 Website
- The Guide to Community Preventive Services
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
- County Health Rankings
- Kaiser Family Foundation's StateHealthFacts
Medical literature can be queried at the PubMed website.