Nearly 8,000 Senior Citizens Die from Traumatic
Brain Injuries Following Falls in 2005
TBIs maybe missed or misdiagnosed among older adults
but 56,000 hospitalized in 2005
July
2, 2008 - Traumatic brain injuries due to falls caused nearly 8,000
deaths and 56,000 hospitalizations in 2005 among Americans 65 and older,
according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention released in the June issue of the Journal of Safety Research.
Traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, are caused by a
bump or blow to the head; however, they maybe missed or misdiagnosed
among older adults.
TBI often results in long-term cognitive,
emotional, and/or functional impairments. In 2005, TBIs accounted for 50
percent of unintentional fall deaths and 8 percent of nonfatal
fall-related hospitalizations among older adults.
Falls are not an inevitable consequence of aging,
but they do occur more often among older adults because risk factors for
falls are usually associated with health and aging conditions.
Some of these conditions include mobility problems
due to muscle weakness or poor balance, loss of sensation in feet,
chronic health conditions, vision changes or loss, medication side
effects or drug interactions, and home and environmental hazards such as
clutter or poor lighting.
Most people think older adults may only break
their hip when they fall, but our research shows that traumatic brain
injuries can also be a serious consequence, said Dr. Ileana Arias,
director of CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
These injuries can cause long-term problems and
affect how someone thinks or functions. They can also impact a persons
emotional well-being.
Each year, one in three older Americans (65 and
older) falls, and 30 percent of falls cause injuries requiring medical
treatment. In 2005, nearly 16,000 older adults died from falls, 1.8
million older adults were treated in emergency departments, and 433,000
of these patients were hospitalized. Falls are the leading cause of
injury deaths and nonfatal injuries for those 65 and over.
This study analyzed 2005 data from the National
Center for Health Statistics National Vital Statistics System and the
Agency for Healthcare Research and Qualitys Nationwide Inpatient
Sample.
Key findings are:
● Death rates for fall-related TBIs were higher
among men than women (26.9 per 100,000 and 17.8 per 100,000,
respectively).
● Rates for fall-related TBI hospitalizations
were similar among men and women (146.3 per 100,000 and 158.3 per
100,000, respectively).
● Death and hospitalization rates for
fall-related TBIs generally increased with age.
Additional findings:
● The majority of men and women hospitalized
with a fall-related TBI spent two to six days in the hospital (54.9
percent of men; 61.5 percent of women).
● The median total charges for these
hospitalizations were $19,191 for men and $16,006 for women.
As more baby boomers reach retirement age, these
types of injuries will increase demands on the health care system unless
action is taken to prevent the injuries.
CDC has developed tips and suggestions for older
adults, their caregivers, health care providers, and communities to help
prevent falls, Arias said.
For older adults, their children, caregivers, and
health care providers, CDC recently developed the Help Seniors Live
Better, Longer: Prevent Brain Injury initiative. Developed in
collaboration with 26 organizations, it features easy-to-use English-
and Spanish-language materials in a concise question-and-answer format
to help prevent, recognize, and respond to TBI.
CDC has also created resources for practitioners
and community-based organizations. Preventing Falls: What Works A CDC
Compendium of Effective Community-based Interventions from Around the
World and Preventing Falls: How to Develop Community Based Fall
Prevention Programs for Older Adults can be downloaded or ordered at
www.cdc.gov/ncipc/preventingfalls.
Symptoms of mild TBI include: Low-grade headache that wont go away
Having more trouble than usual remembering things, paying attention
or concentrating, organizing daily tasks, or making decisions and
solving problems
Slowness in thinking, speaking, acting, or reading
Getting lost or easily confused
Feeling tired all of the time, lack of energy or motivation
Change in sleep patternsleeping much longer than before, having
trouble sleeping
Loss of balance, feeling light-headed or dizzy
Increased sensitivity to sounds, lights, distractions
Blurred vision or eyes that tire easily
Loss of sense of taste or smell
Ringing in the ears
Change in sexual drive
Mood changes like feeling sad, anxious, or listless, or becoming
easily irritated or angry for little or no reason
A person with moderate or severe TBI may show
the symptoms listed on the left, but may also have: A headache that gets worse or does not go away
Repeated vomiting or nausea
Convulsions or seizures
Inability to wake up from sleep
Dilation of one or both pupils
Slurred speech
Weakness or numbness in the arms or legs
Loss of coordination
Increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation
Older adults taking blood thinners (e.g. Coumadin)
should be seen immediately by a health care provider if they have a bump
or blow to the head, even if they do not have any of the symptoms listed
above.
What should you do if you think the older adult in
your care has a TBI?Take them to the doctor. Tell the doctor about any
prescription drugs, including over-the-counter medicines, blood
thinners, or aspirin that the older adult takes.
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
bommers
July
2, 2008 - Traumatic brain injuries due to falls caused nearly 8,000
deaths and 56,000 hospitalizations in 2005 among Americans 65 and older,
according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention released in the June issue of the Journal of Safety Research.