Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among persons aged =65 years (older adults).
What is added by this report?
In 2014, 28.7% of older adults reported falling at least once in the preceding 12 months, resulting in an estimated 29.0 million falls. Of those who fell, 37.5% reported at least one fall that required medical treatment or restricted their activity for at least 1 day, resulting in an estimated 7.0 million fall injuries.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Although falls are common, approximately half of older adults who fall do not discuss it with their health care provider. However, older adult falls are largely preventable. Health care providers can play an important role in fall prevention by 1) screening older adults for fall risk, 2) reviewing and managing medications linked to falls, and 3) recommending vitamin D where appropriate for improved bone, muscle, and nerve health.
Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among adults aged =65 years (older adults). During 2014, approximately 27,000 older adults died because of falls; 2.8 million were treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries, and approximately 800,000 of these patients were subsequently hospitalized.* To estimate the numbers, percentages, and rates of falls and fall injuries among older adults by selected characteristics and state, CDC analyzed data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey. In 2014, 28.7% of older adults reported falling; the estimated 29.0 million falls resulted in 7.0 million injuries. Known effective strategies for reducing the number of older adult falls include a multifactorial clinical approach (e.g., gait and balance assessment, strength and balance exercises, and medication review). Health care providers can play an important role in fall prevention by screening older adults for fall risk, reviewing and managing medications linked to falls, and recommending vitamin D supplements to improve bone, muscle, and nerve health and reduce the risk for falls.
BRFSS is an annual, random-digit–dialed telephone survey of the noninstitutionalized U.S. civilian population aged =18 years conducted annually in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Detailed information regarding the survey is available online.† The median response rate for 2014 was 47.0%.
In 2014, survey respondents were asked, “In the past 12 months, how many times have you fallen?” If the response was one or more times, they were asked, “How many of these falls caused an injury? By an injury, we mean the fall caused you to limit your regular activities for at least a day or to go see a doctor.” This analysis was limited to adults aged =65 years in all 50 states and the District of Columbia who were asked the questions about falls.
The first question was used to estimate the percentage of older adults who reported one or more falls and the total number of falls; the second question was used to estimate the number of fall injuries. Response options ranged from zero to 76 or more with reported means of 0.67 falls and 0.16 fall injuries. The percentages and numbers of falls and fall injuries included all adults aged =65 years in the denominator. Adults with responses of “Don’t know/Not sure,” “Refused,” or “Not asked or missing” for questions about falls, fall injuries, or demographic characteristics were excluded, reducing the sample to 147,319 adults.§
The percentages and numbers were compared across the following subgroups: sex, age group, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, annual household income, health status, and state of residence. Orthogonal polynomial contrasts and pairwise t-tests were used to identify significant increases or decreases where appropriate. The 2014 BRFSS data were weighted by iterative proportional fitting (raking) to represent state-level population estimates and aggregated to represent a nationwide estimate.¶ All results presented are weighted. Analyses were conducted using statistical software to account for the complex sampling design.
In 2014, 28.7% of older adults reported falling at least once in the preceding 12 months, resulting in an estimated 29.0 million falls (Table 1). Of those who fell, 37.5% reported at least one fall that required medical treatment or restricted activity for at least 1 day, resulting in 7.0 million fall injuries. Women (30.3%) were more likely to report falling than men (26.5%) (p<0.01) and were more likely to report a fall injury (12.6% compared with 8.3%; p<0.01). The percentage of older adults who fell increased with age (p<0.01), from 26.7% among persons aged 65–74 years, to 29.8% among persons aged 75–84 years, to 36.5% among persons aged =85 years. The percentage of older adults who fell was higher among whites (29.6%) and American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) (34.2%) than among blacks (23.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islanders (19.8%). The percentage of older adults who reported a fall injury also increased with age (p<0.01), from 9.9% among persons aged 65–74 years to 11.4% among persons aged 75–84 years, to 13.5% among persons aged =85 years. AI/ANs were more likely to report a fall-related injury (16.8%) than were whites (10.9%), Hispanics (10.7%), and blacks (7.8%). The rate of fall-related injuries was significantly higher in the population reporting poor health (480 per 1,000) than the population reporting excellent health (69 per 1,000).
Among states and the District of Columbia, the percentage of older adults who reported a fall ranged from 20.8% in Hawaii to 34.3% in Arkansas. Several states had either significantly higher or lower percentages of reported falls among older adults compared with the national average (Figure) (Table 2). The percentage of older adults experiencing fall injuries ranged from 7.0% in Hawaii to 12.9% in Missouri.
In 2014, 28.7% of older adults in the United States reported an estimated 29.0 million falls in the preceding 12 months. Older adult falls can result in death, serious injury, and loss of independence (1,2). This analysis found that an estimated 7 million falls required medical treatment or caused restricted activity for at least 1 day. Women and those in older age groups were at higher risk for falling and being injured in a fall. Reduced muscle strength is a risk factor for falls, and aging and female sex are associated with reduced muscle mass (1,2). Women have been found to be more likely to report falls than men (3). Aging also is associated with changes in gait and balance, increased inactivity, more severe chronic conditions, and more prescription medication use, all of which are risk factors for falls (1). Limited research exists on the causes for racial/ethnic differences, but these differences might be related to differences in health and behavior (4,5). Reasons for state differences are unknown; however, even in Hawaii, the state with the lowest incidence, 20.8% of older adults reported a fall.
Annual Medicare costs for older adult falls have been estimated at $31.3 billion (6), and the older adult population is expected to increase 55% by 2030.** Applying the number of falls from this analysis to the projected 2030 population would result in an estimated 48.8 million falls and 11.9 million fall injuries, unless effective interventions are implemented nationwide.
The findings in this report are subject to at least four limitations. First, BRFSS data are self-reported and subject to recall bias. Second, BRFSS does not include persons in long-term care facilities who are at higher risk for falls (7). Third, the broad definition of fall injury for this analysis might have resulted in a higher estimate of injurious falls compared with other reports. Finally, the response rate (median = 47%) could have resulted in nonresponse bias; however, weighting and survey methodology are used to adjust the estimates and reduce the effect of nonresponse bias.
Older adult falls are largely preventable, and health care providers (e.g., physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists) can play an important part by discussing falls with older adult patients and providing appropriate interventions (8). The American and British Geriatrics Societies (AGS/BGS) Clinical Practice Guideline recommends that health care providers use a multifactorial approach to prevent falls that includes activities such as asking about falls, assessing gait and balance, reviewing medications, and prescribing interventions such as strength and balance exercises, or taking vitamin D.†† This type of approach has been estimated to be capable of reducing falls by 24% (8). Based on the AGS/BGS guidelines, CDC has developed the STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries) initiative§§ to provide resources to help health care providers incorporate fall prevention into primary care (3). STEADI stresses three initial steps that can be completed in one patient visit: 1) ask patients if they have fallen in the past year, feel unsteady, or worry about falling; 2) review medications and stop, switch, or reduce the dosage of drugs that increase fall risk; and 3) recommend daily vitamin D supplementation for improved bone, muscle, and nerve health (with dosage of vitamin D and decision on whether to co-supplement with calcium to be determined based on the patient’s history).
Health care providers should discuss fall prevention with their patients because approximately half of older adults who fall do not discuss it with their health care provider, often because they fear this will lead to a loss of independence (9). Health care providers cite limited time and cost as barriers to incorporating preventive services, such as those proposed by STEADI, into their clinical practice (10). However, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) now provides incentives for health care providers to conduct fall prevention activities through payment and delivery reforms (e.g., Welcome to Medicare Visit, Medicare Annual Wellness Visit, and the Medicare Shared Savings Accountable Care Organization Program).¶¶ CMS also links health care provider incentives to fall prevention quality measures through the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) in the Merit-Based Incentive Program. PQRS includes two quality measures for falls: Falls Risk Assessment and Falls Plan of Care.*** Mechanisms such as payment and delivery reforms and quality reporting measures are opportunities to make fall prevention a routine part of clinical practice and reduce the barriers to providing services that can prevent falls among older adults.
1Division of Unintentional Injury, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC; 2Division of Analysis, Research and Practice Integration, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC.
Ambrose AF, Paul G, Hausdorff JM. Risk factors for falls among older adults: a review of the literature. Maturitas 2013;75:51–61. CrossRefPubMed
Stevens JA, Sogolow ED. Gender differences for non-fatal unintentional fall related injuries among older adults. Inj Prev 2005;11:115–9. CrossRefPubMed
Stevens JA, Phelan EA. Development of STEADI: a fall prevention resource for health care providers. Health Promot Pract 2013;14:706–14. CrossRefPubMed
Nicklett EJ, Taylor RJ. Racial/Ethnic predictors of falls among older adults: the health and retirement study. J Aging Health 2014;26:1060–75. CrossRefPubMed
Cobb N, Espey D, King J. Health behaviors and risk factors among American Indians and Alaska Natives, 2000–2010. Am J Public Health 2014;104(Suppl 3):S481–9. CrossRefPubMed
Burns ER, Stevens JA, Lee R. The direct costs of fatal and non-fatal falls among older adults—United States. J Safety Res 2016;58:99–103. CrossRefPubMed
Becker C, Rapp K. Fall prevention in nursing homes. Clin Geriatr Med 2010;26:693–704. CrossRefPubMed
Gillespie LD, Robertson MC, Gillespie WJ, et al. Interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012;(9):CD007146. PubMed
Stevens JA, Ballesteros MF, Mack KA, Rudd RA, DeCaro E, Adler G. Gender differences in seeking care for falls in the aged Medicare population. Am J Prev Med 2012;43:59–62. CrossRefPubMed
Jones TS, Ghosh TS, Horn K, Smith J, Vogt RL. Primary care physicians perceptions and practices regarding fall prevention in adults 65 years and over. Accid Anal Prev 2011;43:1605–9. CrossRefPubMed
TABLE 1. Percentages and rates* of falls and fall injuries† in the preceding 12 months reported by adults aged =65 years (N = 147,319), by selected characteristics — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 2014
Characteristic
No. reporting a fall§
% (95% CI)
No. of falls reported (millions)
Rate¶ (95% CI)
No. reporting a fall injury
% (95% CI)
No. of fall injuries reported (millions)
Rate** (95% CI)
Overall
43,958
28.7 (28.2–29.1)
29.0
672 (648–695)
16,083
10.7 (10.4–11.0)
7.0
164 (156–171)
Sex
Men
15,668
26.5 (25.8–27.2)
12.4
657 (620–694)
4,731
8.3 (7.9–8.8)
2.4
127 (118–136)
Women
28,290
30.3 (29.7–31.0)
16.5
683 (653–714)
11,352
12.6 (12.1–13.0)
4.6
192 (181–203)
Age group (yrs)
65–74
23,859
26.7 (26.2–27.3)
16.2
650 (619–680)
8,650
9.9 (9.5–10.3)
3.8
154 (146–163)
75–84
14,379
29.8 (29.0–30.7)
9.5
669 (634–703)
5,267
11.4 (10.8–12.1)
2.4
170 (155–185)
=85
5,720
36.5 (35.0–38.0)
3.3
820 (705–935)
2,166
13.5 (12.4–14.6)
0.8
199 (172–226)
Race/Ethnicity
White
38,180
29.6 (29.1–30.0)
23.3
683 (661–706)
13,869
10.9 (10.6–11.2)
5.6
163 (156–170)
Black
2,204
23.1 (21.5–24.8)
1.8
487 (432–542)
795
7.8 (6.9–8.8)
0.4
115 (93–137)
American Indian/Alaska Native
542
34.2 (29.6–39.2)
0.4
1,322 (838–1,805)
234
16.8 (13.0–21.3)
0.1
441 (233–649)
Asian/Pacific Islander
271
19.8 (14.0–27.1)
—††
—
—
—
—
—
Hispanic
1,191
26.4 (23.8–29.2)
1.8
655 (483–827)
489
10.7 (9.0–12.7)
0.4
164 (132–196)
Multiple/Other
844
33.5 (29.5–37.8)
0.5
971 (734–1,208)
340
15.4 (12.5–18.7)
0.2
314 (171–456)
Marital status
Married
19,241
26.2 (25.6–26.8)
14.2
597 (570–624)
6,491
9.3 (8.9–9.8)
3.3
140 (129–150)
Divorced
6,582
32.7 (31.3–34.1)
4.3
825 (741–908)
2,613
13.3 (12.3–14.4)
1.1
209 (190–229)
Widowed
15,062
31.7 (30.9–32.6)
8.0
703 (669–736)
5,858
12.2 (11.6–12.8)
2.1
182 (169–194)
Separated
491
30.2 (25.5–35.3)
0.5
928 (709–1,148)
208
12.8 (9.8–16.4)
0.1
275 (172–378)
Never married
2,116
29.6 (27.3–31.9)
1.3
813 (641–986)
743
10.7 (9.4–12.3)
0.3
177 (136–218)
Member of unmarried couple
318
32.8 (26.5–39.8)
—
—
—
—
0.1
291 (138–445)
Education
Less than high school graduate
4,439
30.2 (28.7–31.7)
5.6
810 (724–896)
1,728
11.9 (10.9–12.9)
1.3
193 (172–215)
High school graduate
13,317
27.2 (26.5–28.0)
8.1
600 (572–628)
4,856
9.9 (9.4–10.4)
1.9
143 (134–152)
Some college
11,614
29.9 (29.0–30.9)
8.9
721 (669–772)
4,438
11.9 (11.1–12.6)
2.3
189 (171–207)
College graduate or more
14,460
28.1 (27.3–28.8)
6.2
607 (577–636)
5,005
9.6 (9.1–10.1)
1.4
139 (129–149)
Annual household income ($)
<15,000
4,832
34.9 (33.1–36.7)
4.0
987 (893–1,080)
2,119
15.1 (13.8–16.5)
1.1
277 (243–312)
15,000–24,999
8,726
30.7 (29.6–31.8)
6.2
802 (746–858)
3,438
12.3 (11.6–13.1)
1.5
198 (181–216)
25,000–34,999
5,480
30.2 (28.9–31.6)
3.5
665 (619–712)
1,920
10.6 (9.8–11.5)
0.8
157 (139–175)
35,000–49,999
6,054
28.0 (26.9–29.2)
3.9
647 (592–702)
2,084
10.0 (9.2–10.9)
0.9
145 (130–160)
50,000–74,999
5,007
26.1 (24.9–27.3)
3.1
587 (511–663)
1,728
9.4 (8.6–10.2)
0.7
129 (116–143)
=75,000
5,911
24.8 (23.7–25.9)
3.7
532 (461–604)
1,885
8.6 (7.8–9.4)
0.8
119 (104–134)
Health status
Excellent
3,922
19.2 (18.1–20.3)
1.8
340 (307–374)
1,136
5.9 (5.2–6.6)
0.4
69 (60–77)
Very good
11,089
23.7 (22.9–24.4)
5.7
457 (410–505)
3,479
7.9 (7.4–8.4)
1.2
101 (92–109)
Good
14,481
28.3 (27.4–29.1)
8.3
578 (547–608)
5,055
10.1 (9.5–10.7)
2.0
138 (125–151)
Fair
9,285
36.7 (35.5–37.9)
7.4
979 (918–1,040)
3,883
15.3 (14.4–16.2)
1.9
253 (232–275)
Poor
4,936
47.3 (45.3–49.3)
5.5
1771 (1,619–1,923)
2,440
22.1 (20.6–23.6)
1.5
480 (430–530)
Abbreviation: CI = confidence interval. * Number of falls in the preceding 12 months. † An injury caused by a fall in the preceding 12 months that caused respondents to limit their regular activities for =1 days or to go see a doctor. § Unweighted number of older adults reporting a fall. Because of varying question-specific nonresponse, sample sizes vary among questions. ¶ Number of falls per 1,000 adults aged =65 years. ** Number of fall injuries per 1,000 adults aged =65 years. †† Sample size <50 or relative standard error >30%.
FIGURE. Percentages of falls and fall injuries* in the preceding 12 months reported by adults aged =65 years (N = 147,319) — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 2014
* Injuries resulting from falls that caused respondents to limit their regular activities for =1 days or to go see a doctor.
TABLE 2. Percentages and rates* of falls and fall injuries† in the preceding 12 months reported by adults aged =65 years (N = 147,319), by states ranked by percentage of older adults reporting =1 fall — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 2014
State
No. reporting a fall§
% (95% CI)
No. of falls reported (thousands)
Rate¶ (95% CI)
No. reporting a fall injury
% (95% CI)
No. of fall injuries reported (thousands)
Rate** (95% CI)
Overall
43,958
28.7 (28.2–29.1)
29,000
672 (648–695)
16,083
10.7 (10.4–11.0)
7,000
164 (156–171)
Arkansas
727
34.3 (31.6–37.0)††
377
868 (725–1011)††
275
11.5 (9.9–13.4)
79
183 (148–218)
Alaska
324
32.9 (29.0–37.0)††
65
940 (683–1197)††
114
11.9 (9.4–15.0)
12
178 (128–227)
Michigan
901
32.6 (30.5–34.8)††
1,216
810 (671–949)
323
11.4 (10.0–13.0)
265
177 (137–217)
Missouri
865
32.4 (29.9–35.0)††
741
823 (639–1008)
326
12.9 (11.2–14.9)††
187
208 (150–266)
Montana
908
32.2 (29.7–34.7)††
137
824 (670–977)
351
12.1 (10.5–13.9)
27
163 (139–187)
Kentucky
1,174
32.1 (29.7–34.6)††
473
770 (660–880)
445
11.9 (10.3–13.6)
108
176 (145–208)
Wyoming
836
32.1 (29.7–34.5)††
65
831 (668–994)
276
10.5 (9.1–12.2)
15
196 (122–270)
Indiana
1,272
31.8 (29.9–33.7) ††
685
762 (659–864)
441
11.0 (9.8–12.3)
156
174 (142–207)
Oregon
626
31.8 (29.4–34.4)††
495
822 (684–960)††
251
12.3 (10.6–14.2)
145
241 (125–357)
Vermont
561
31.7 (29.2–34.3)††
78
777 (646–909)
197
11.1 (9.5–12.9)
15
151 (126–177)
Iowa
887
31.5 (29.5–33.7) ††
322
686 (604–767)
289
9.9 (8.7–11.3)
70
149 (118–179)
Washington
1,120
31.2 (29.3–33.2)††
813
840 (652–1028)
406
10.5 (9.3–11.8)
150
155 (131–179)
Oklahoma
920
30.9 (28.9–32.9)††
488
891 (706–1075)††
322
11.1 (9.9–12.6)
120
219 (122–315)
California
613
30.7 (28.0–33.5)
3,134
801 (631–970)
225
12.4 (10.4–14.8)
807
207 (156–257)
Kansas
1,321
30.5 (28.9–32.0)††
292
735 (619–851)
455
10.4 (9.4–11.4)
76
191 (106–275)
Texas
1,504
30.2 (27.9–32.7)
1,906
654 (563–745)
551
11.4 (9.9–13.2)
476
164 (136–191)
Tennessee
600
30.1 (27.5–32.8)
685
737 (614–860)
213
11.4 (9.6–13.4)
166
179 (131–228)
Ohio
1,209
30.1 (28.0–32.3)
1,210
688 (610–767)
452
10.4 (9.1–11.9)
259
147 (124–171)
District of Columbia
427
30.1 (26.9–33.4)
51
687 (548–826)
155
11.7 (9.5–14.3)
13
175 (121–230)
Maine
1,014
29.9 (27.9–31.9)
195
836 (640–1032)
327
9.3 (8.1–10.5)§§
35
151 (116–185)
Idaho
586
29.9 (27.2–32.8)
154
697 (600–794)
201
10.6 (8.8–12.7)
37
170 (131–209)
Utah
1,049
29.6 (27.8–31.6)
192
668 (591–744)
383
10.5 (9.3–11.8)
43
149 (126–172)
Alabama
925
29.4 (27.3–31.6)
524
733 (630–836)
342
10.7 (9.4–12.3)
121
170 (134–206)
South Carolina
1,097
29.2 (27.4–31.1)
553
749 (623–874)
431
11.4 (10.2–12.8)
155
211 (140–281)
Massachusetts
1,591
28.6 (26.8–30.5)
588
611 (532–689)
613
10.6 (9.5–11.9)
146
152 (127–177)
Pennsylvania
1,083
28.6 (26.7–30.5)
1,208
588 (524–651)§§
380
9.9 (8.7–11.2)
271
132 (114–151)§§
Georgia
615
28.6 (26.2–31.1)
769
649 (560–738)
227
10.5 (8.9–12.2)
190
160 (124–196)
South Dakota
720
28.5 (25.6–31.6)
74
577 (473–681)
242
9.7 (8.0–11.8)
18
143 (103–183)
Nebraska
2,235
28.2 (26.8–29.6)
187
701 (614–789)
751
9.9 (9.0–10.9)
39
146 (120–172)
Delaware
441
28.1 (25.4–31.0)
97
660 (495–826)
160
10.0 (8.3–12.0)
21
143 (112–175)
Mississippi
457
28.1 (25.3–31.0)
282
674 (526–822)
163
8.9 (7.4–10.6)§§
55
133 (98–167)
North Carolina
642
28.0 (25.9–30.2)
868
616 (543–688)
234
10.0 (8.7–11.6)
237
168 (132–205)
New Hampshire
619
28.0 (25.5–30.6)
131
649 (530–768)
228
9.6 (8.2–11.3)
33
162 (108–217)
New Mexico
828
27.8 (25.5–30.2)
190
661 (567–755)
294
10.2 (8.7–11.9)
46
158 (125–192)
Wisconsin
505
27.8 (24.9–30.9)
496
690 (470–911)
192
10.1 (8.3–12.2)
104
145 (111–179)
New York
547
27.7 (25.2–30.3)
1,598
584 (507–661)§§
205
10.7 (9.1–12.6)
422
154 (126–183)
Arizona
1,722
27.5 (26.0–29.1)
676
707 (591–824)
677
10.4 (9.4–11.5)
142
148 (130–167)
Illinois
457
27.4 (24.7–30.3)
1,058
610 (485–736)
178
11.1 (9.3–13.2)
277
160 (125–195)
North Dakota
732
27.2 (24.8–29.7)
71
677 (539–815)
264
9.5 (8.1–11.2)
15
145 (101–188)
Colorado
1,107
27.1 (25.4–28.8)
374
601 (515–688)
395
9.4 (8.4–10.5)§§
85
137 (115–158)§§
Nevada
386
26.9 (23.6–30.5)
233
605 (475–735)
141
9.8 (7.8–12.2)
76
198 (124–272)
Rhode Island
550
26.8 (24.4–29.3)
90
566 (457–674)
219
10.2 (8.6–12.0)
24
150 (113–186)
West Virginia
536
26.6 (24.4–28.9)
208
642 (533–751)
206
9.9 (8.5–11.6)
48
149 (121–177)
Connecticut
661
26.5 (24.2–29.0)
263
496 (425–567)§§
266
10.3 (8.8–12.1)
79
149 (117–182)
Minnesota
1,185
26.1 (24.5–27.6)§§
448
591 (514–669)
415
9.0 (8.0–10.1)§§
105
139 (114–164)
Virginia
700
25.6 (23.5–27.8)§§
602
534 (468–600)§§
265
9.9 (8.5–11.4)
154
137 (112–162)§§
Florida
1,060
25.1 (23.4–26.9)§§
2,087
599 (513–686)
440
10.4 (9.3–11.7)
526
151 (129–174)
Maryland
1,179
25.1 (23.1–27.2)§§
405
506 (437–576)§§
418
8.1 (7.0–9.3)§§
93
116 (98–134)§§
Louisiana
530
24.9 (22.7–27.1)§§
365
591 (511–670)
193
8.6 (7.3–10.1)§§
92
150 (108–191)
New Jersey
937
23.6 (21.6–25.7)§§
653
525 (421–629)§§
397
10.2 (8.9–11.8)
187
151 (111–190)
Hawaii
467
20.8 (18.5–23.4)§§
85
399 (331–467)§§
169
7.0 (5.6–8.6)§§
18
83 (66–101)§§
Abbreviation: CI = confidence interval. * Number of falls in the preceding 12 months. † An injury caused by a fall in the preceding 12 months that caused respondents to limit their regular activities for =1 days or to go see a doctor. § Unweighted number of older adults reporting a fall. Because of varying question-specific nonresponse, sample sizes vary among questions. ¶ Number of falls per 1,000 adults aged =65 years. ** Number of fall injuries per 1,000 adults aged =65 years. †† Significantly higher than the overall percentage or rate. §§ Significantly lower than the overall percentage or rate.
Suggested citation for this article: Bergen G, Stevens MR, Burns ER. Falls and Fall Injuries Among Adults Aged =65 Years — United States, 2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2016;65:993–998. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6537a2.
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