[Fall-related injuries among elderly at home]

The aim of this study was to describe the extent of the problem of injuries from falling among elderly people at home. The study is based on data from the National Injury Register, which contains information on all inpatients and outpatients treated for injuries by hospitals and emergency clinics in four Norwegian towns. This study included 594 cases of accidental fall-related injuries which occurred at home in 1992 among a total population of 23,942 persons aged 65 years and over living in two towns, Drammen and Stavanger. The incidence of fall-related injuries at home was 25 per 1,000. The incidence was higher among women than men (32 and 13 per 1,000 respectively). The ratio between falls to the same level and falls to lower levels was 2:1 in the age group 65-79 year and 4:1 in the age group over 80 years. The most common mechanisms causing injuries were loss of balance (46%), stumbling (19%) and sliding (12%). 60% of all patients sustained fractures (15 per 1,000). 50% of all patients were hospitalised. The findings show that possibilities exist for preventing these injuries. The strategies must be directed both at the home environment and at individual factors among the elderly population.