Characteristics and risk factors of fall injury in Taiwan in 1999 versus 2007

Objective: The study aims to describe the characteristics and identify risk factors of fall injury in the elderly in Taiwan. Fruitful results: With analysis on the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TLSA) data, the crude prevalence of falls during 1999 and 2007 increased from 18.1% to 22.7%, while the proportion of injured fallers among fallers decreased from 37.0% to 31.8%. Among 220 injured fallers reported in 1999, 51.2% were attributed to intrinsic causes, with 39.0% to extrinsic causes, and 7.8% claimed by both. 87.6% had single injury, and 12.4% had multiple injuries. The top three body sites of injury were lower limb (36.1%), upper limb (27.0%), and hip (19.3%). Of the injured fallers in 1999 and 2007, the medical care utilization rates were respectively 16.8% and 13.7% for Chinese medicine care, 67.6% and 80.0% for Western medicine care. The risk factors of fall injury, identified in multiple regression analyses, included advanced age, female, IADL disability, taking sleeping pills or sedative, fair to unclear vision, using a walk aid, having two or more chronic conditions, and cognitive impairment, and not doing regular exercise. etc. Key Conclusion: From 1999 to 2007, a rising utilization rate for Western medical care was found among injured fallers. Further investigation into the underlying causes and risk factors of fall injury identified in the study might get priority over subsequent targeting falls prevention program.