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329676
Unintentional Injuries Treated in Hospital Emergency Departments Among Persons Aged 65 Years and Older, United States, 2006-2011


Monday, November 2, 2015

Xinyao deGrauw, Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Joseph L. Annest, PhD, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Judy Stevens, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Likang Xu, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Victor Coronado, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA
background.   As the US population ages, the burden of unintentional injuries will likely increase along with utilization of health care services and associated medical costs.

 objective.  To describe trends and characterize unintentional injury-related US hospital emergency department (ED) visits among persons ≥65 years.

methods.  We analyzed data on ED visits for unintentional injuries from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, 2006-2011.  Trends in annual rates of unintentional injury-related ED visits were examined by 5-year age groups, sex, mechanism, body region, discharge disposition, and primary payer.  We also estimated medical costs.

results.  From 2006-2011, the annual age-adjusted rate of unintentional injury-related ED visits per 100,000 population increased significantly from 7,987.4 to 8,163.9 for those age ≥65 years.  Rates for females were higher than males.  Rates increased steadily by 5-year age group with the highest rates among those aged ≥100.  Falls accounted for 65% of these injuries and fall-related injury rates increased each year from 2006 to 2011.  Most of the increase was associated with hip fractures, traumatic brain injury, and other head and neck injuries.  In 2011, the estimated lifetime medical cost of unintentional injury-related ED visits among those aged ≥65 was $40 billion.  About 85% of these costs were expected to be paid by Medicare.

conclusion.  Increasing rates of ED-treated unintentional injuries among older adults indicate a growing health care and economic burden on society.  Prevention efforts to reduce falls and resulting injuries among adults ≥65 years have the potential to reduce health care spending, especially costs incurred by Medicare recipients.   

Learning Areas:

Epidemiology
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe three reasons for increases in unintentional injuries among people aged 65 years and older. Describe the two most common unintentional injury mechanisms. Identify three areas contributing to the trends in unintentional injuries among people aged 65 years and older.

Keyword(s): Public Health Research, Aging

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I certify that the abstract, “Unintentional Injuries Treated in Hospital Emergency Departments Among Persons Aged 65 Years and Older, United States, 2006-2011” represents original research. I participated significantly in the study design, data analysis, interpretation of results, and manuscript writing.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.