Deaths from Older Adult Falls
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among adults age 65 and older, and the age-adjusted fall death rate is increasing.1,2 The age-adjusted fall death rate increased by 41% from 55.3 per 100,000 older adults in 20121 to 78.0 per 100,000 older adults in 2021.3
The rising number of deaths from falls among older adults can be addressed by screening for fall risk and intervening to address risk factors such as use of medicines that may increase fall risk, or poor strength and balance.
Data source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. National Vital Statistics System, Mortality 1999-2021 on CDC WONDER Online Database. Accessed January 24, 2023. http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html
*Age-adjusted death rates standardized to the 2000 U.S. population with age groups 65–74, 75–84, and ≥85 years using the direct method
**Rates are marked as “unreliable” when the death count is less than 20
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. National Vital Statistics System, Mortality 1999-2020 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2021. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2020, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html on Feb 9, 2023
- Burns ER, Kakara R. Deaths from Falls Among Adults ≥65 Years—United States, 2007–2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018;67:509–514. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6718a1.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. National Vital Statistics System, Mortality 2018-2021 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2021. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 2018-2021, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10-expanded.html on Feb 9, 2023
