What are the costs associated with treating fall injuries?

Costs Associated with Fall Injuries

Fall-related injuries cost approximately $111 billion annually in the United States, representing a significant economic burden on healthcare systems and individuals. 1

Economic Impact of Falls

• Fall incidents are a major cause of morbidity and mortality, with total healthcare costs reaching €474.4 million in the Netherlands, representing 21% of total healthcare expenses due to injuries 2
• In the United States, the total lifetime cost of annual unintentional fall-related injuries resulting in fatality, hospitalization, or emergency department treatment was $111 billion in 2010 1
• Fall-related medical costs increase with the severity of injury, with third-degree injuries bearing the highest post-fall medical costs (averaging 18,257 New Taiwan dollars per patient) 3

Components of Fall-Related Costs

• The cost components after a fall vary significantly based on whether hospitalization occurs 4:
  • For hospitalized falls: costs are primarily driven by inpatient care and post-acute care services 4
  • For non-hospitalized falls: costs are mainly attributable to outpatient services and "other" components (e.g., ambulatory surgery, community health services) 4
• Fall-related injuries typically affect the upper or lower limbs (70% of cases) and consist mainly of:
  • Fractures (60%)
  • Superficial injuries (21%)
  • Open wounds (8%) 2

Timing and Distribution of Costs

• Fall-related costs are not evenly distributed over time; they typically spike immediately after the incident and may continue for months afterward 4
• Both admitted and non-admitted patients report reduced quality of life for up to 9 months after the injury, contributing to indirect costs and societal burden 2
• The extended hospital stays associated with falls significantly increase overall healthcare costs, with fallers experiencing longer hospital stays than non-fallers 3

Demographic Distribution of Fall Costs

• Fall-related injuries affect all adult age groups, with the economic burden distributed across:
  • Older adults (65+): 32.3% of all fall-related injuries
  • Middle-aged adults (45-64): 35.3% of all fall-related injuries
  • Young adults (18-44): 32.3% of all fall-related injuries 1
• The age-adjusted rate of fall-related injuries increased 4% per year among older women from 2004 to 2013, suggesting a growing economic burden 1

Risk Factors Affecting Cost

• Several factors increase the risk of falls in hospitalized patients, potentially leading to higher costs:
  • Lack of family accompaniment
  • Use of more than 3 fall-related medications
  • Absence of intravenous catheter placement 3
• Age-related fractures, especially hip fractures, account for a major portion of the morbidity, mortality, and social costs associated with fall injuries 5
• Both osteoporosis and trauma appear to be necessary factors in most age-related fractures, contributing to the overall cost burden 5

Prevention and Cost Reduction

• Further implementation of falls prevention strategies is needed to control the burden of fall-related injuries in the aging population 2
• Adult fall prevention efforts should consider the entire adult lifespan rather than focusing exclusively on older adults, which could provide greater public health and economic benefits 1
• Healthcare delivery systems should develop standardized methodology to monitor medical fall rates, given the growing older adult population and increasing problem of falls 4