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Table 1 Demographics of older adult fall-related fatalities, Waukesha County, Wisconsin 2005–2012

From: Identifying characteristics and outcomes that are associated with fall-related fatalities: multi-year retrospective summary of fall deaths in older adults from 2005–2012

 

All

(n = 841)

65–74 years

(n = 61)

75–84 years

(n = 273)

85+ years

(n = 507)

Age mean (SD)

86.0 (7.23)

70.8 (2.75)

80.6 (2.48)

90.8 (3.98)

Females

61.2%

47.5%

53.8%

66.9%

BMIa

 mean (SD)

23.5 (5.83)

26.4 (7.94)

24.7 (6.30)

22.5 (4.94)*

Residence: (n = 834)

 Home or apartment (n)

55.2% (464)

80% (49)

63.4% (173)

47.7% (242)

 Assisted living (n)

22.6% (190)

4.9% (3)

16.1% (44)

28.2% (143)

 Institution (n)

21.4% (180)

14.4% (9)

20.1% (55)

22.9% (116)

Survival timeb

 Number of days from fall to death mean (SD)

31.2 (44.78)

25.9 (42.23)

31.8 (50.84)

31.4 (41.57)

Comorbiditiesc

 Cardiovascular (n = 806)

87% (n = 701)

78.6% (44)

87.4% (228)

87.7% (429)

 Hypertension (n = 796)

77.4% (n = 616)

77.4% (41)

78% (202)

77% (373)

 Neurological (n = 804)

57.3% (n = 461)

41.1%* (23)

56.8% (147)

59.5% (291)

 Musculoskeletal (n = 783)

32.1% (n = 253)

30.4% (17)

33.5% (85)

31.6% (151)

 Osteoporosis (n = 792)

23.5% (n = 186)

10.7%* (6)

21.6% (55)

26% (125)

 Osteoarthritis (n = 157)

27.2% (n = 157)

18.6%* (8)

20.9% (37)

31.4% (112)

Number of prescribed medications mean (SD)

6.23 (3.6)

6.3 (4.27)

6.85 (3.86)*

5.89 (3.32)*

Anticoagulants prescribedc (n = 745)

56% (n=417)

51.9% (27)

56.8% (137)

56% (253)

Fall Location: (n = 596)

 At homed (n)

82.7% (493)

55.7% (34)

60. 4% (165)

58% (294)

 Outside of homee (n)

10.9% (65)

14.8% (9)

9.9% (27)

5.7% (29)

 Communityf (n)

6.4% (38)

4.9% (3)

5.9% (16)

3.7% (19)

Fall Injury: (n = 834)

 Hip fracture (n)

54.6% (456)

35.6% (21)

47.8% (130)

60.5% (305)*

 Head injury (n)

21.6% (180)

45% (27)*

27.5% (75)

15.4% (78)

  1. *Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05)
  2. aBMI = Body mass index (kg/m2)
  3. btwo cases were excluded as the mean was > 4 SD from the mean
  4. c proportion of positive findings from available data
  5. d Primary residence
  6. eOutside of home included driveway, yard, garage
  7. fCommunity included parking lot, store, restaurant, curb step etc