Citation

Cervellin G, Montali F, Campaniello G, Benatti M, Fiorini R, Rastelli G. Emerg. Care J. 2014; 10(2).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, PagePress)

DOI

10.4081/ecj.2014.4708

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Aims of this study were to evaluate the incidence of falls in subjects aged ≥65 years in Parma Province (Northern Italy), and the burden of fall-related hospitalizations. All the Emergency Department (ED) visits for domestic or trivial falls were retrieved from the data- base of the two EDs of Parma Province during 2013. All cases were classified according to age and gender. Out of 129,898 total ED visits, 3720 (2.9%) were related to trivial falls in patients aged ≥65 years. Females accounted for 2648 visits and males for 1072. The absolute number of visits due to falls increased with age in both genders, with a peak between 80 and 84 yrs. When related with the actual number of residents by age groups, females showed a continuous increase, peaking at age >100 yrs, and males a continuous increase, peaking at age 95-99 yrs. Of these patients, 963 (25.9%) needed hospitalization, 605 in the orthopedic ward, 342 in medical wards, and 16 in specialist surgical units. In conclusion, falls represent a major cause of morbidity in the elderly in Northern Italy, representing 13.3% of the ED visits for people aged ≥65, with a high impact on hospital workload.

Language: en