Physicaltherapyscience.com- News - Fall Related Deaths in the US Rose 31% in 10 Years

Fall Related Deaths in the US Rose 31% in 10 Years

17-05-2018
Among American residents aged 65 and older, the mortality rate continues to rise steadily. Between 2007 and 2016 with 31% and with a particularly high pace among 85-year-olds.

During the 10 years that followed in the study, the deaths due to falls among US residents aged 65 and older rose from 18,334 to 29,668 - in terms of death rates from falls. While mortality rates increased for all age groups, the category 85+ recorded the most dramatic increase.

Authors of the CDC report (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) theorize that the rates of fall-related deaths might increase partially due to an aging population and longer survival rates after diseases such as heart disease, cancer and strokes.

The report states that physical therapists can tackle the increasing number of deaths from this age group by asking about cases of falls, assessing gait and balance, looking at medicines and by offering fall prevention interventions. Better prevention efforts can also lead to cost savings in health care: an estimated value of $754 million.

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