New Study Analyzes Variations in Fall Injuries by County

Sarasota, FL (WorkersCompensation.com) – According to information from the National Floor Safety Institute, falls make up 33 percent of sprain and strain costs and 26 percent of all costs, and account for 16 percent of claim totals. While some studies have shown young workers have higher injury rates, older workers have the highest rate of fatalities.  Each year one in three adults over the age of 65 will experience a fall, with around half as repeat fallers. For those over the age of 65, falls are the second leading cause of death. Around 4.5 million older adults are injured due to falls every year, costing Medicare between $15 and $30 billion.

In a study published this month in JAMA, researchers from the University of Michigan School of Nursing in Ann Arbor, Michigan set out to analyze national trends related to geographical location for older adults who have fallen. The researchers reviewed Medicare Part A and B claims for fall injuries from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019 for patients aged 65 and older.

A total of 120.7 million claims were reviewed in the analysis, with 55.8 percent belonging to women. The largest age group was age 65 to 74, accounting for 55.4 percent of total claims. Patients aged 75 to 84 accounted for 30 percent of claims, and claims for patients 85 and older totaled 14.6 percent.

Over the time period that was reviewed, the mean age-adjusted and sex-adjusted national quarterly fall injury rate increased by 4.4 percent overall, and annually at 1.5 percent. The injury rate increased from 1,332 to 1,391 per 100,000. The researchers speculated that the numbers equate to an additional 106,000 injuries annually, and an additional $1 billion in spending.

Included in the study was a map of US counties with fall injury rates. The researchers found that counties at the 10^th percentile of fall rates had a 42.9 percent lower fall injury rate than those counties in the 90 percentile. It is interesting to note in reviewing the map, that high fall rates were concentrated in the central part of the country. Many areas of higher populated states such as California and Florida had some of the largest numbers of counties with low fall rates.

One point that the researchers made is that fall prevention programs usually focus on severe injuries, however moderate injuries that don’t require medical treatment potentially result in critical health issues later on, such as fear of falling, social isolation, and a decrease in activity and physical conditioning. Although somewhat limited in scope, the researchers hope that their findings will offer targeted risk management opportunities for those at higher risk.

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