Epidemiological characteristics and preventive strategies for fall injury

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the epidemiological characteristics and to define some preventive strategies for fall injury (FI). METHODS: The medical records of patients admitted following a fall from a certain height between August 1996 and July 1997 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 138 patients were assessed, with a mortality of 31.2%. The male-to-female ratio was 3.5:1. The persons between 20 and 59 years old were the main victims (81.8%), of which 52.2% were related with their work altitude. The remaining adults fall because of, accidents in daily life, suicide attempts, drug abuse, alcohol, or criminal behavior. There were significant differences between the death group and the survival group in the Revised Trauma Score (RTS) and the Injury Severity Score (ISS) value (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Six children fall from balconies, open windows or roofs. There were significant differences for the height of fall and RTS value in aged group than those in children, adolescents, and adults (P<0.001, 0.005, 0.05; and P<0.05, 0.01, 0.05, respectively). The mortality of FI was significantly correlated to the height of fall (r=0.897, P<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Male adults are the main victims, especially the workers at high altitudes. The mortality of FI is significantly correlated to the height of fall. The preventive strategies developed through analyzing the risk factors of fall in different age groups might reduce the injuries and deaths following fall.