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Rapid Increase of Fall‐Related Severe Head Injuries with Age Among Older People: A Population‐Based Study
Author(s) -
Luukinen Heikki,
Herala Mika,
Koski Keijo,
Kivelä SirkkaLiisa,
Honkanen Risto
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1999.tb01566.x
Subject(s) - medicine , public health , general hospital , university hospital , health science , unit (ring theory) , population , family medicine , gerontology , medical education , nursing , psychology , environmental health , mathematics education
The secular trend in the incidence of fall-related severe head injuries is rising.' These injuries increase the risk of a marked cognitive decline in older home-dwelling adults? Considering these facts, population-based data on the frequency of fall-related severe head injuries is needed. We describe here original data on the incidence of falls and consequent severe head injuries in an aged population. All persons aged 70 years or older living in five rural northern Finnish municipalities, at home (n = 1016) and in institutions (n = 143), were enrolled on January 1, 1991, for the purpose of recording all their falls during the following 7 years. The home-dwelling participants (n = 980, 96%) kept diaries to record falls. In addition, telephone interviews were carried out every third month. In institutions, the staff reported the falls to a research assistant. Hospital, health center, and nursing home medical records were examined annually to check the recordings.394 The place and consequences of each fall occurring during the follow-up period were determined (by phone) by the research assistant immediately after having been informed about a fall. Severe head injuries used in the analyses included those with wounds needing suturing as well as