HQ Team
October 4, 2024: Falls among the elderly population are a leading cause of injury and can lead to immense physical, emotional and financial burdens. If it happens, the recovery is long and painful with sometimes full functionality not achieved.
A recent research from Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York, highlights the economic impact of falls among the elderly, revealing that the financial burden far exceeds that associated with firearms. As the ageing population grows, falls have emerged as a significant healthcare cost with long-term consequences for individuals and society.
The Financial Toll of Falls
The study authors examined the medical costs and combined costs (combination of medical costs and value of statistical life) of fatal firearm injury and fatal falls during a five-year period using data from the web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System database for patients aged 15 to 85 years.
The researchers found that the medical cost of fatal falls was significantly higher in the five year period of 2015 to 2020. Though overall, the combined cost was significantly higher for fatal firearm injuries.
The researchers also found that post-2019, the combined cost was higher for fatal falls in those aged 45 to 85-plus years. For patients older than 65 years of age, there was a rise in the slope in 2019.
“The data and findings presented highlight the pressing need to address geriatric falls as a substantial economic burden,” the authors write. “Policymakers must recognize geriatric falls as a critical public health challenge and implement proactive measures to prevent falls, provide specialized health care, and allocate resources strategically.”
The growing problem
Falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths (after traffic accidents)worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. 37.3 million falls are severe enough to require medical attention. Each year an estimated 684,000 individuals die from falls globally, and most of these occur in 60-plus individuals. In fact, around 30% of adults aged 65 and older experience at least one fall annually, with many requiring medical attention
In 2015, the medical costs related to both fatal and nonfatal falls among older adults were estimated at approximately $50 billion in the United States alone. Of this amount, Medicare covered about $28.9 billion, while Medicaid accounted for $8.7 billion, and private payers contributed $12 billion.
This figure starkly contrasts with the costs associated with firearms, which, while significant, do not approach the scale of fall-related expenditures.
The ageing population is projected to increase dramatically—by 55% between 2015 and 2030—resulting in an anticipated rise in both fall rates and healthcare spending related to these incidents
Comparison with firearm-related costs
While firearm-related incidents also impose a considerable economic burden, they are often overshadowed by the sheer volume of fall-related injuries among older adults. For example, in 2019 alone, firearm homicides accounted for about $2.8 billion in direct medical costs in the U.S., which pales in comparison to the ongoing financial strain caused by geriatric falls
The economic burden of falls among the elderly is a pressing public health issue. As society continues to grapple with an ageing population, prioritizing fall prevention will be essential in mitigating this growing crisis.
