Geographic determinants of falls injuries among older adults: insights from hospital admissions in Victoria, Australia
Aleksandra Warzel, Chaturangi Yapa, Mohana Baptista, Jennie Oxley, Rhonda L Stuart, Janneke Berecki-GisolfBackground
Falls are a leading cause of injury-related hospitalisations and deaths in Australians aged 65 and over. While geographic disparities in falls rates exist, the extent to which sociodemographic factors contribute remains unclear. This study examines falls injury admission rates in Victoria, the second most populous Australian state, to determine how these are influenced by sociodemographic factors and remoteness.
Methods
Data from the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset (2018–2022) were used to identify falls-related hospitalisations among individuals aged 65 and over. Falls rates per 100,000 population were calculated by local public health unit catchment, age group, sex, socioeconomic index for area (SEIFA) and remoteness. Generalised linear modelling explored the association between these factors and falls rates.
Results
Between 2018 and 2022, there were 171,100 falls-related hospitalisations, with a rate of 3,281 per 100,000. The highest falls rates were among females, in individuals aged 85 and over and from the South East Public Health Unit catchment. Falls rates were highest in metropolitan areas and in the highest SEIFA quintile.
Discussion
Geographic disparities in falls-related hospitalisations persisted after adjusting for remoteness and sociodemographic factors. Differences in healthcare access, aged care facility practices or hospital admission policies may contribute, though analysis of proximal femur fractures suggests these do not fully explain variation.
Conclusions
Significant geographic variations in falls-related hospitalisations persist in Victoria. Understanding these patterns is crucial for targeted strategies that reduce healthcare burdens and improve outcomes.