[Hip fracture as an important mortality risk in elderly people]

In recent years much attention has been paid to trauma from accident falls among elderly. It is estimated that almost 1/3 of the population of 65 and over experience one fall a year. The falls are responsible for almost 90% of all fractures in this population and are the most common cause of death in the accidents, injuries and poisonings category. In the study mortality from hip fractures in Poznań, in years 1990-2000 was analyzed. For that purpose death certificates of the residents of Poznań were analyzed, in which hip fracture was the underlying cause of death. It was the continuation of the research conducted in the 80 degrees. In the studied period hip fractures contributed to a lesser and lesser degree in the mortality from external causes. In the beginning of the 90 degrees the percentage was 25, while in the year 2000--only 12.6. Mortality from the hip fractures was observed mainly in people older than 55, predominantly women (68% of deaths in 1990 and 87% in 1996). At the same time the overall mortality rate for both sexes would decrease systematically.