What are the indirect costs and long-term impacts of fall injuries in India, including lost productivity for families, rehabilitation needs, and potential readmissions on overall healthcare budgets?

Indirect Costs and Long-Term Impacts of Fall Injuries in India

Fall injuries in India create substantial indirect costs through lost productivity, rehabilitation needs, and hospital readmissions, with families facing catastrophic health expenditure up to 30% of cases, particularly affecting rural women who experience fall rates of 9.22% annually compared to 3.30% for men. 1, 2

Economic Burden of Fall Injuries

• The average out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure for injury hospitalization in India is USD 388, increasing to USD 1046 when accounting for 12 months of post-discharge care 3
• Households seeking treatment in private facilities face 3 times higher catastrophic expenditure compared to those using public hospitals 1
• OOP expenditure is five times higher in private facilities than public ones, creating significant financial strain on families 1
• Families with patients requiring hospitalization longer than 7 days have 10.6 times higher odds of facing catastrophic expenditure (OR-10.60,95% CI: 4.21-26.64) 3
• The lowest income quartile families are 26.5 times more likely to experience catastrophic health expenditure from injury treatment (OR-26.50,95% CI: 6.70-105.07) 3

Lost Productivity and Family Impact

• Fall injuries disproportionately affect the most productive age group (15-60 years), increasing disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and creating substantial household financial burden 1
• The prevalence of falls among elderly Indians is alarmingly high at 31% (95% CI 23%-39%), creating significant care burdens for families 4
• Women in rural India experience nearly three times the annual incidence of non-fatal fall injuries (9.22%) compared to men (3.30%), affecting household productivity 2
• 56% of fall injury victims require treatment outside the home, with women comprising 74.6% of those seeking care, creating additional family care burdens 2

Rehabilitation Needs and Healthcare System Impact

• Limb injuries are most common in falls (legs 55%, hand/arm 33.3%), requiring extended rehabilitation and potentially limiting work capacity 2
• 8.4% of fall injuries result in hospital admission, creating additional strain on healthcare resources 2
• The burden of disease (DALYs) and economic burden from falls is particularly high compared to other injuries, second only to road traffic accidents 1
• In Western Maharashtra and other regions like Gujarat and Karnataka, patients predominantly seek care in private facilities, increasing the economic burden on regional healthcare budgets 1

Readmission Risk and Long-Term Care

• Fall injuries contribute significantly to disability-adjusted life years, indicating substantial long-term impacts requiring ongoing care 1
• Risk factors for falls include poor vision, vertigo, imbalance, fear of falling, history of falls, osteoarthritis, visual and hearing impairments, and depression - all requiring ongoing management to prevent readmissions 5
• The elderly population faces increasing fall risk with age, with females having higher risk compared to males, necessitating gender-specific prevention and rehabilitation strategies 5
• The home environment is the most common place of injury for women, while farms are most common for men, requiring different rehabilitation approaches based on injury context 2