Abstract
BackgroundThis study aimed to examine the characteristics of older adults patients who suffered a head injury after a ground-level fall in comparison to non-head injury patients as well as the factors associated with severity in those with head injury only.MethodsPatients were classified into two groups, the head injury group and the non-head injury group. The characteristics were compared and factors associated with head injury were evaluated. Factors relating to severe injury in the head injury group were also investigated.ResultsThe head injury group comprised 42 % of a study subjects. Male sex; fall time of 18:00–23:59; fall location of medical facility, transportation area, and public or commercial facility; fall in an outdoor area; fall during daily activity; alcohol ingestion; fall from stairs; non-slippery floor conditions; concrete flooring; sloped flooring; and presence of obstacles on the floor were risk factors for head injury in the older adults after a ground-level fall. Male sex and age over 70 years; fall time of 00:00–05:59; fall in a residential facility; fall in an indoor area; fall during daily activity; fall from stairs; non-slippery floor conditions; and presence of obstacles on the floor were factors associated with severe injury in the head injury group.ConclusionsMale sex with advanced age, indoor fall, and the presence of obstacles on the floor were risk factors for severe injury in the head injury group in older adults individuals who suffered a ground-level fall. It is necessary to develop appropriate ground-level fall prevention programs by evaluating the individual and environmental characteristics of older adults patients.
Highlights
This study aimed to examine the characteristics of older adults patients who suffered a head injury after a ground-level fall in comparison to non-head injury patients as well as the factors associated with severity in those with head injury only
More than 60 % of traumatic brain injury (TBI) cases in older people are the result of falls, [3] and the prevalence of fall-related TBI has increased over the past few decades [3, 4]
Regarding the mechanism of fall, 15.5 % of the head injury group and 11.1 % of the nonhead injury group fell from the stairs, and 42.7 % of the head injury group and 48.4 % of the non-head injury group slipped on the same level (p = 0.000)
Summary
This study aimed to examine the characteristics of older adults patients who suffered a head injury after a ground-level fall in comparison to non-head injury patients as well as the factors associated with severity in those with head injury only. Ground-level falls are the most common cause of injury in the older adults [1]. Injuries associated with ground-level falls are becoming a serious global health problem as the older adults population grows [1, 2]. More than one-third of older adults patients who visit the emergency department (ED) after a fall-related injury revisit the ED or die within one year [9]. It is important to reduce morbidity, mortality and economic
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