Briana L Moreland1, Elizabeth R Burns2, Yara K Haddad2. 1. Cherokee Nation Operational Solutions, Atlanta, GA, United States; Division of Injury Prevention, National Center of Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States. Electronic address: bmoreland@cdc.gov. 2. Division of Injury Prevention, National Center of Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Falls, with or without an injury, often affect the health of older adults (65+). METHODS: We used the 2018 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project to describe older adults' fall-related ED visits. We defined fall-related ED visits as those with a fall external cause of morbidity code and fall-injury related ED visits as those with an injury diagnosis code and a fall external cause of morbidity code. Percentages of fall-related and fall-injury related ED visits were analyzed by select characteristics. RESULTS: Over 86% of fall-related ED visits were fall-injury related. A higher percentage of females (87%) and rural (88%) older adults' fall-related ED visits were fall-injury related compared to males (85%) and urban older adults (86%). A higher percentage of fall-related ED visits without a coded injury (33%) were hospitalized compared to those with a coded injury (29%). CONCLUSION: The majority of fall-related ED visits included an injury diagnosis. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Researchers can consider which method of measuring ED visits related to falls is most appropriate for their study. Limiting fall-related ED visits to only those where an injury diagnosis is also present may underestimate the number of fall-related ED visits but may be appropriate for researchers specifically interested in fall injuries.
BACKGROUND: Falls, with or without an injury, often affect the health of older adults (65+). METHODS: We used the 2018 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project to describe older adults' fall-related ED visits. We defined fall-related ED visits as those with a fall external cause of morbidity code and fall-injury related ED visits as those with an injury diagnosis code and a fall external cause of morbidity code. Percentages of fall-related and fall-injury related ED visits were analyzed by select characteristics. RESULTS: Over 86% of fall-related ED visits were fall-injury related. A higher percentage of females (87%) and rural (88%) older adults' fall-related ED visits were fall-injury related compared to males (85%) and urban older adults (86%). A higher percentage of fall-related ED visits without a coded injury (33%) were hospitalized compared to those with a coded injury (29%). CONCLUSION: The majority of fall-related ED visits included an injury diagnosis. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Researchers can consider which method of measuring ED visits related to falls is most appropriate for their study. Limiting fall-related ED visits to only those where an injury diagnosis is also present may underestimate the number of fall-related ED visits but may be appropriate for researchers specifically interested in fall injuries.
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