Fall Risk
CDC STACKS serves as an archival repository of CDC-published products including scientific findings, journal articles, guidelines, recommendations, or other public health information authored or co-authored by CDC or funded partners. As a repository, CDC STACKS retains documents in their original published format to ensure public access to scientific information.
i

Fall Risk

Filetype[PDF-249.08 KB]


English

Details:

  • Alternative Title:
    Am J Prev Med
  • Personal Author:
  • Description:
    INTRODUCTION

    Falls often cause severe injuries and are one of the most costly health conditions among older adults. Yet, many falls are preventable. The number of preventable medically treated falls and associated costs averted were estimated by applying evidence-based falls interventions in clinical settings.

    DESIGN

    A peer-review literature review was conducted in 2017 using literature published between 1994 and 2017, the authors estimated the prevalence of seven fall risk factors and the effectiveness of seven evidence-based falls interventions.

    PARTICIPANTS

    Older Americans aged 65 and older living in the community.

    INTERVENTIONS

    Tai chi, Otago, medication management, vitamin D supplementation, expedited first eye cataract surgery, single vision distance lenses for outdoor activities, and home modifications led by an occupational therapist.

    MEASURES

    The authors estimated the number of older adults who would be eligible to receive one of seven falls interventions. Then, using the reported effectiveness of each intervention, the number of medically treated falls that could be prevented and the associated direct medical costs averted was calculated.

    RESULTS

    Depending upon the size of the eligible population, implementing a single intervention could prevent between 9,563–45,164 medically treated falls and avert $94–$442 million in direct medical costs annually. The interventions with the potential to help the greatest number of older adults were those that provided home modification delivered by an occupational therapist ($38.2 million), and recommended daily vitamin D supplements ($16.7 million).

    CONCLUSIONS

    This report is the first to estimate the number of medically treated falls that could be prevented and the direct medical costs that could be adverted. Preventing falls can benefit older adults substantially by improving their health, independence, and quality of life.

  • Keywords:
  • Source:
  • Pubmed ID:
    30122212
  • Pubmed Central ID:
    PMC6103639
  • Document Type:
  • Funding:
  • Volume:
    55
  • Issue:
    3
  • Collection(s):
  • Main Document Checksum:
  • Download URL:
  • File Type:

You May Also Like

Checkout today's featured content at stacks.cdc.gov