TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2003//
TI  - Nonfatal fall-related traumatic brain injury among older adults--California, 1996-1999
JO  - MMWR: Morbidity and mortality weekly report
A1  - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, 
SP  - 276
EP  - 278
VL  - 52
IS  - 13
N2  - In the United States, falls are the second leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI) hospitalizations overall and the leading cause of TBI hospitalizations among persons aged > or = 65 years. In 1995, TBIs resulted in an estimated $56 billion in direct and indirect costs in the United States. In California, during 1999, a total of 61,475 hospitalizations from falls were reported among persons aged > 65 years. Risk factors for falling among older persons included arthritis; impairments in balance, gait, vision, and muscle strength; and the use of four or more prescription medications. As part of CDC's program of state-based TBI surveillance, California hospital discharge data were collected and analyzed to describe fall-related TBIs. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which support previous findings that persons aged > or = 65 years are at risk for hospitalization for a fall and that same-level falls are far more common among persons aged > or = 65 years than falls from a higher level (e.g., a ladder, chair, or stair). Defining the circumstances of fall injuries and recognizing the type of fall leading to TBI hospitalizations among older persons can help health-care providers conduct risk assessment and management of falls in this population.
LA  - en
SN  - 0149-2195
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -