OBJECTIVE: To understand the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of older adult pedestrian injury in Rhode Island.
METHODS: Descriptive univariate analysis of data from Rhode Island Hospital's trauma registry on patients admitted for pedestrian-related injuries between 2017-2020.
RESULTS: The rate of pedestrian injury in older adults was 1.5 times the rate in adults age 18-49. Injured older adult pedestrians experienced a higher rate of serious adverse events during hospitalization (18.0%) than their younger counterparts (10.3%) and had almost twice the mortality rate (14.9% versus 7.6%). Across ages, pedestrian injury rates are higher in densely populated areas, and those injured disproportionately are male and have comorbid alcohol and substance use disorders.
CONCLUSIONS: The increased risk of pedestrian injury in older adults is evident and necessitates intervention. Further research is warranted on the root causes of higher pedestrian injury and mortality rates among older adults.