Skip to main content
RACS ASC 2024

Falls at home: the quiet giant of trauma admission

Verbal Presentation

Verbal Presentation

4:20 pm

09 May 2024

Conway 2

RESEARCH PAPERS

Disciplines

Trauma Surgery

Watch The Presentation

Presentation Description

Institution: Te Manawa Taki Trauma System, Te Whatu Ora Waikato - Waikato, Aotearoa New Zealand

Purpose: To describe the epidemiology and costs of trauma admissions to the Te Manawa Taki Trauma System (TMT) hospitals in New Zealand following falls at home. Methodology: A retrospective, observational study was conducted using data from the TMT trauma registry to identify patients of all ages who presented following falls at home from 2012 to 2022. Incidence of Fall Related Injuries (FRIs) occurred at home, Injury Severity Score (ISS), injury characteristics, and direct cost to TMT facilities are reported by demographic factors. Results: A total of 13,142 events were identified in the TMT trauma system following falls at home, representing 51.5% of the total falls-related trauma events. Majority ( 94.4%) were classified as non-major trauma (ISS<13). The annual incidence of FRIs increased steadily from 902 events in 2012 to 1456 in 2022. Across all age groups, falls from <1m remained the most common height of fall. There were two distinctive age band incidence peaks: ≤9 years and 60+ years. During 2022, trauma events due to falls at home cost approximately NZ$24.3 million directly to TMT facilities. The average cost per event was NZ$ 9,792. Conclusion: Falls at home represent the single most common cause of trauma admission in the TMT region of Aotearoa, creating significant burden on the health system, individuals, and communities. Further exploration of causative factors and high risk activities will allow targeting of prevention strategies and interventions.

Speakers

Authors

Authors

A/Prof Grant Christey - , Ciaran Simpkins - , Ishani Soysa - , Sheena Moosa -