1.Characteristics of fall injuries among the elderly in Zhuhai City from 2018 to 2025
GUO Wenyan ; CHEN Guorong ; LIN Haisen ; RUAN Xiaofeng ; ZHENG Tengyun ; RUAN Feng
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2026;38(9):940-944
Objective:
To understand the characteristics of fall injuries among the elderly aged ≥60 years in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province from 2018 to 2025, so as to provide evidence for the prevention and control of fall injuries in the elderly.
Methods:
Data on first-visit cases of fall injuries among the elderly aged ≥60 years in the outpatient and emergency departments of 3 national sentinel hospitals in Zhuhai City from 2018 to 2025 were collected through the injury surveillance module of the Guangdong Provincial Comprehensive Management Platform for Population Health Information. Descriptive analysis was conducted on the occurrence time, occurrence location, activity at the time and clinical characteristics of the fall injuryies.
Results:
A total of 22 145 cases of fall injuries among the elderly were reported from 2018 to 2025, including 8 365 male cases and 13 780 female cases, with a male-to-female ratio of 0.61∶1. The 60-<70 years age group had 10 087 cases (45.55%), the 70-<80 years age group had 6 633 cases (29.95%), and the ≥80 years age group had 5 425 cases (24.50%). More cases of fall injuries were reported in December and during 8∶00-10∶00, with 2 542 cases (11.48%) and 5 196 cases (23.46%), respectively. The main occurrence location of fall injuries was home, with 9 741 cases (43.99%). The main activity at the time off all injuries was leisure activity, with 11 284 cases (50.96%). The top 3 types of fall injuries were fracture/joint dislocation, craniocerebral injury and contusion/abrasion, with 7 530 cases (34.00%), 5 578 cases (25.19%) and 4 974 cases (22.46%), respectively. The leading type of fall injury in males was craniocerebral injury, with 2 340 cases (27.97%); while that in females was fracture/joint dislocation, with 5 281 cases (38.32%). The top 3 body parts of fall injuries were lower extremities, head and neck, and trunk, with 5 765 cases (26.03%), 5 421 cases (24.48%) and 5 406 cases (24.41%), respectively. The leading body part of fall injuries in males was head and neck, with 2 613 cases (31.24%); while that in females was lower extremities, with 3 687 cases (26.76%). The severity of fall injuries was mainly mild, with 15 004 cases (67.75%) . With the increase of age, the constituent ratio of head and neck as the body parts of fall injuries, as well as the constituent ratios of observation, referral and hospitalization as the outcomes of fall injuries among the elderly showed an upward trend (all P<0.05).
Conclusions
Fall injuries among the elderly in Zhuhai City peaked in December and during the morning period. Home was the main occurrence location of injuries. Females were key populations for prevention and control. Targeted prevention of adverse health outcomes induced by fall injuries is essential for advanced-age elderly populations.


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