Canadians are injured due to falls less often than Americans
Good news for Canadians – 5.8% of Older Canadians reported injuries due to a fall compared to 10.2% in the US [1]. However, falls are still the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations and deaths among Canadians in the 65+ age group [1]. Similarly, in the US, falls are the leading cause of accidental death in the elderly [2]. In Canada, the prevalence of fall-related injuries was higher among women than men: 6.5% versus 5.0%. Older adults living alone also had a significantly higher prevalence of fall-related injuries than those living with others: 6.5% versus 5.5% [1].
Unfortunately, the trend is going in the wrong direction.
While the comparison between Americans and Canadians may be seen as positive, the number of older Canadians admitted to the hospital due to fall-related injuries is increasing. From 2008 to 2020, the number of fall-related hospitalizations of older adults increased 47%. Mortality rates due to falls among older adults increased as well [1]. Falls caused 66% of deaths due to unintentional injury among people age 65+. The average length of stay for hospitalization due to falls was also 4-5 days longer than the average for all-cause hospitalizations [1].
What can be done to reduce falls among Canada’s older adults?
These falls and injuries can be prevented, and future efforts should focus on those most at risk, including women, those over 80, and older people living alone or with low income. Multi-faceted prevention strategies will be important in reducing the prevalence of fall-related injuries and deaths in Canada's aging population [1]. Interventions that target intrinsic health factors like muscle strength, balance, gait, and vision have been proven effective in comparison to interventions that target external factors like trip hazards. Intrinsic factors include health conditions like arthritis, stroke, foot problems, medications, impairments in cognition, muscle strength, balance, gait, and vision. Interventions that target these intrinsic factors have been shown to be effective in comparison to interventions that target extrinsic factors like home hazards [3]. For this reason, balance screening is a critical component of effective fall prevention.
The ZIBRIO Stability Pro scale, now available in Canada for the first time, has the potential to make a large impact in preventing falls. Screening patients for fall risk at their regular checkup on the scale takes 60 just seconds. The scale measures balance, or postural stability, and gives patients an associated fall risk categorization score. Those scoring in the high-risk zone are 3 times more likely to experience a fall in the next 12 months [4]. Physicians can use ZIBRIO’s BalanceCare software for targeted counseling and personalized interventions. By providing these services to patients, Canadian healthcare providers can take immediate action to reduce falls among their patient population.
Stability Home Scales are now available here.
For professional users, please contact info@zibrio.com or book a zoom demo.
Sources:
[1] “Surveillance Report on Falls Among Older Adults in Canada” by Public Health Agency of Canada, March 2022
[2] Bergen G, Stevens MR, Burns ER. Falls and fall injuries among adults aged ≥65 years—United States, 2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2016;65:993–8.CrossRef PubMed
[3] Gill, T. M., Williams, C. S., & Tinetti, M. E. (2000). Environmental Hazards and the Risk of Nonsyncopal Falls in the Homes of Community-Living Older Persons. Medical Care, 38(12), 1174–1183. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3767995
[4] Forth KE, Wirfel KL, Adams SD, Rianon NJ, Lieberman Aiden E and Madansingh SI (2020) A Postural Assessment Utilizing Machine Learning Prospectively Identifies Older Adults at a High Risk of Falling. Front. Med. 7:591517. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2020.591517