Falls among seniors (age 65 and over)

Injuries in this section are those due from a fall. This includes those resulting from jumping or diving into water causing injury other than drowning or submersion. This section excludes falls:

• resulting from an assault
• resulting from intentional self-harm
• from an animal
• in or from a burning building
• into fire
• into water (with drowning or submersion)
• into machinery in operation
• from a transport vehicle

 

• Emergency visits by geographic region
• Leading causes by geographic region
• Emergency visits by district
• Emergency visits by sex
• Emergency visits by age group
• Deaths by geographic region
• Potential years life lost by geographic region

Emergency department (ED) visits due to falls among seniors (age 65 and over) by geographic region

Key Findings:

• Among residents of the Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, there were 2,009 emergency department (ED) visits for falls among seniors in 2015.
• In 2015, the ED visits rate for falls among seniors in the SDHU area was 55 per 1,000 seniors per year.
• The rate of ED visits for falls among seniors in the SDHU area has been consistently lower than that of northeastern Ontario, yet similar to the rate for Ontario overall.
• Between 2006 and 2015, the rate of ED visits for falls among seniors in the SDHU area remained stable over time.

Notes:

• Geographic areas and/or time periods in which there is less access to walk-in clinics and other alternatives to the local ED can be expected to have higher rates of injury-related ED visits than they would otherwise.
• Data Source: Ambulatory Emergency External Cause 2006 to 2015 (extracted June 6, 2016) and Population Estimates 2006 to 2015 (extracted October 7, 2016), Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH Ontario.

Figure: Annual rate of emergency department visits, falls, ages 65+, by geographic region, 2006 to 2015

Table: Annual rate of emergency department visits, falls, ages 65+, by geographic region, 2006 to 2015

Geographic Region	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
SDHU	55.5	55.2	59.4	57.1	56.0	57.2	53.9	56.2	57.6	55.3
Northeast	63.1	58.7	63.0	61.3	62.0	62.2	60.8	62.8	64.7	62.7
Ontario	54.4	54.6	55.8	55.4	56.5	56.6	56.5	57.9	59.8	58.6

Table: Annual number of emergency department visits, falls, ages 65+, by geographic region, 2006 to 2015

Geographic Region	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
SDHU	1,623	1,647	1,812	1,774	1,772	1,848	1,802	1,940	2,044	2,009
Northeast	5,730	5,436	5,962	5,891	6,056	6,197	6,255	6,643	7,027	6,960
Ontario	89,636	92,113	96,781	98,620	103,319	106,900	111,341	119,077	127,721	129,544

Leading causes of falls injury in seniors (age 65 and over) by geographic region

Key Findings:

• A large proportion (23%) of fall-related emergency department (ED) visits among seniors between 2011 and 2015 were due to falls with an unspecified cause. These visits are not shown in the graphs and tables below, but are accounted for in the calculation of percentages.
• Between 2011 and 2015, the most commonly specified cause of fall-related ED visits among seniors in the Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area was slips, trips, and stumbles, accounting for 28% of fall-related ED visits. The second most common cause was falls from stairs/steps, which accounted for 13%.
• Between 2011 and 2015, there were on average 1,460 ED visits per year among seniors for slips, trips, and stumbles, and 849 visits per year due to falls from stairs/steps.
• The percentage of fall-related ED visits among seniors due to slips, trips and stumbles is lower in the SDHU area than that in Ontario.

Notes:

• Data Source: Ambulatory Emergency External Cause 2006 to 2015 (extracted June 6, 2016), Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH Ontario.

Figure: Leading causes of fall-related emergency department visits (%), ages 65+, by geographic region, 2011 to 2015

Table: Percent of leading causes of fall-related emergency department visits (%), ages 65+, by geographic region, 2006 to 2015

Rank	Leading Cause	SDHU	Ontario
1	Slips, trips, and stumbles	22.1	26.3
2	Fall from stairs/steps	12.9	12.3
3	Falls w/ ice and snow	7.4	6.1
4	Falls from furniture	7.2	7.6
5	Falls w/ skis/skates/blades	4.8	5.7

Table: Number of leading causes of fall-related emergency department visits (%), ages 65+, by geographic region, 2011 to 2015

Rank	Leading Cause	Total Count, SDHU	Total Counts, Ontario	Average Annual Count, SDHU	Average Annual Count, Ontario
1	Slips, trips, and stumbles	7,298	542,279	1,460	108,456
2	Fall from stairs/steps	4,246	253,123	849	50,625
3	Falls w/ ice and snow	2,456	126,564	491	25,313
4	Falls from furniture	2,382	157,323	476	31,465
5	Falls w/ skis/skates/blades	1,586	118,522	317	23,704

Emergency department (ED) visits due to falls among seniors (age 65 and over) by Greater Sudbury and outlying areas

Key Findings:

• Between 2011 and 2015, there were 7,232 emergency department (ED) visits for falls among seniors in Greater Sudbury and 2,411 falls among seniors in the SDHU district office areas, an average of 1,446 and 482 per year, respectively.
• The rate of ED visits for falls among seniors was 53 per 1,000 population per year in Greater Sudbury and 69 per 1,000 population per year in the SDHU district office areas between 2011 and 2015.
• The rate of ED visits for falls among seniors in Greater Sudbury has been consistently lower than the rate among seniors in the SDHU district office areas.
• The rates of ED visits for falls among seniors in Greater Sudbury and the SDHU district office areas have remained stable between the 2006 to 2010 and 2011 to 2015 periods.

Notes:

• Geographic areas and/or time periods in which there is less access to walk-in clinics and other alternatives to the local ED can be expected to have higher rates of injury-related ED visits than they would otherwise.
• Data Source: Ambulatory Emergency External Cause 2006 to 2015 (extracted June 6, 2016) and Population Estimates 2006 to 2015 (extracted October 7, 2016), Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH Ontario.

Figure: Annual rate of emergency department visits, falls, ages 65+, by Greater Sudbury and outlying areas, 2006 to 2010 and 2011 to 2015

Table: Annual rate of emergency department visits, falls, ages 65+, by Greater Sudbury and outlying areas, 2006 to 2010 and 2011 to 2015

Geographic Region	Rate per 1000 2006 to 2010	Rate per 1000 2011 to 2015
Greater Sudbury	25.9	24.6
SDHU District Office Areas	49.0	46.8

Table: Annual number of emergency department visits, falls, ages 65+, by Greater Sudbury and outlying areas, 2006 to 2010 and 2011 to 2015

Geographic Region	Total Counts, 2006 to 2010	Total Counts, 2011 to 2015	Average Annual Counts, 2006 to 2010	Average Annual Counts, 2011 to 2015
Greater Sudbury	18,150	16,923	3,630.0	3,384.6
SDHU District Office Areas	7,206	6,428	1,441.2	1,285.6

Emergency department (ED) visits due to falls among seniors (age 65 and over) by sex

Key Findings:

• Between 2011 and 2015, there were 3,473 emergency department (ED) visits for falls among male seniors, and 6,169 for falls among female seniors in the Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, an average of 695 and 1,234 per year, respectively.
• The rate of ED visits for falls among seniors was 44 per 1,000 males and 66 per 1,000 females in the SDHU area between 2011 and 2015.
• The rate of ED visits for falls among female seniors has been consistently higher than the rate among males.
• Among both males and females in the SDHU area, the rates of ED visits for falls among seniors have remained stable over time between 2006 to 2010 and 2011 to 2015.

Notes:

• Geographic areas and/or time periods in which there is less access to walk-in clinics and other alternatives to the local ED can be expected to have higher rates of injury-related ED visits than they would otherwise.
• Data Source: Ambulatory Emergency External Cause 2006 to 2015 (extracted June 6, 2016) and Population Estimates 2006 to 2015 (extracted October 7, 2016), Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH Ontario.

Figure: Annual rate of emergency department visits, falls, ages 65+, by sex, SDHU, 2006 to 2010 and 2011 to 2015

Table: Annual rate of emergency department visits, falls, ages 65+, by sex, SDHU, 2006 to 2010 and 2011 to 2015

Sex	Rate per 100,000, 2006 to 2010	Rate per 100,000, 2011 to 2015
Males	30.5	28.2
Females	29.3	28.5

Table: Annual number of emergency department visits, falls, ages 65+, by sex, SDHU, 2006 to 2010 and 2011 to 2015

Sex	Total Counts, 2006 to 2010	Total Counts, 2011 to 2015	Average Annual Counts, 2006 to 2010	Average Annual Counts, 2011 to 2015
Males	13,027	11,695	2,605.4	2,339.0
Females	12,329	11,655	2,465.8	2,331.0

Emergency department (ED) visits due to falls among seniors (age 65 and over) by age group

Key Findings:

• Among residents of the Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, the 80 to 84 age group visited the emergency department (ED) the most for falls among seniors, with 1,790 ED visits between 2011 and 2015, or 358 ED visits per year on average.
• Between 2011 and 2015, the 90 and over age group had the highest ED visits rate for falls among seniors with 174 ED visits per 1,000 population per year.
• Rates of ED visits for falls among seniors increased with age from the 65 to 69 age group to the 90 and over age group.
• In the SDHU area, the ED visits rate for falls among seniors decreased slightly in the 90 and over age group between 2006 to 2010 and 2011 to 2015. Rates for all other age groups have remained stable.

Notes:

• Geographic areas and/or time periods in which there is less access to walk-in clinics and other alternatives to the local ED can be expected to have higher rates of injury-related ED visits than they would otherwise.
• Data Source: Ambulatory Emergency External Cause 2006 to 2015 (extracted June 6, 2016) and Population Estimates 2006 to 2015 (extracted October 7, 2016), Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH Ontario.

Figure: Annual rate of emergency department visits, falls, ages 65+, by age group, SDHU, 2006 to 2010 and 2011 to 2015

Table: Annual rate of emergency department visits, falls, ages 65+, by age group, SDHU, 2006 to 2010 and 2011 to 2015

Age Group	Rate per 1000, 2006 to 2010	Rate per 1000, 2011 to 2015
65 to 69	31.8	31.6
70 to 74	41.2	38.6
75 to 79	54.0	56.6
80 to 84	80.1	76.9
85 to 89	124.5	119.5
90+	189.1	174.4

Table: Annual number of emergency department visits, falls, ages 65+, by age group, SDHU, 2006 to 2010 and 2011 to 2015

Age Group	Total Counts, 2006 to 2010	Total Counts, 2011 to 2015	Average Annual Counts, 2006 to 2010	Average Annual Counts, 2011 to 2015
65 to 69	1,500	1,766	300.0	353.2
70 to 74	1,541	1,622	308.2	324.4
75 to 79	1,674	1,763	334.8	352.6
80 to 84	1,708	1,790	341.6	358.0
85 to 89	1,359	1,579	271.8	315.8
90+	846	1,123	169.2	224.6

Deaths due to falls among seniors (age 65 and over) by geographic region

Key Findings:

• There were 135 fall-related deaths among Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area seniors between 2007 and 2011, and average of 27 per year.
• Between 2006 and 2015, the mortality rate among seniors residing in the SDHU area was 84 deaths per 100,000 seniors per year.
• The mortality rate for falls among seniors in the SDHU area has been similar to the rate in northeastern Ontario and Ontario overall.
• Between 2002 to 2006 and 2007 to 2011, the mortality rate for falls among seniors in the SDHU area increased.

Notes:

• Data Source: Ontario Mortality Data 2002 to 2011  (extracted June 6, 2016) and Population Estimates 2002 to 2011  (extracted October 7, 2016), Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH Ontario.

Figure: Annual mortality rate, falls, ages 65+, by geographic region, 2002 to 2006 and 2007 to 2011

Table: Annual mortality rate, falls, ages 65+, by geographic region, 2002 to 2006 and 2007 to 2011

Geographic Region	Rate per 100,000 2002 to 2006	Rate per 100,000 2007 to 2011
SDHU	59.7	86.9
Northeast	50.4	96.5
Ontario	57.8	92.4

Table: Annual number of deaths, falls, ages 65+, by geographic region, 2002 to 2006 and 2007 to 2011

Geographic Region	Total Counts 2002 to 2006	Total Counts 2007 to 2011	Average Annual Counts, 2002 to 2006	Average Annual Counts, 2007 to 2011
SDHU	84	135	16.8	27.0
Northeast	220	464	44.0	92.8
Ontario	4,571	8,239	914.2	1,647.8

Potential years of life lost (PYLL) due to falls among seniors (age 65 and over) by geographic region

Key Findings:

• Between 2006 and 2015, seniors residing in the Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area lost 99 years of potential life due to deaths from falls before the age of 75, an average of 20 per year.
• The rate of potential years of life lost (PYLL) in the SDHU area due to falls among seniors was 84.9 per 100,000 population per year.
• The rate of PYLL due to falls among seniors in the SDHU area has been slightly higher than the rate in northeastern Ontario, while rates in both areas have generally been higher than the rate in Ontario overall.
• Between 2002 to 2006 and 2007 to 2011, the rate of PYLL due to falls among seniors in the SDHU area increased.

Notes:

• Data Source: Ontario Mortality Data 2002 to 2011  (extracted June 6, 2016) and Population Estimates 2002 to 2011  (extracted October 7, 2016), Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH Ontario.

Figure: Annual rate of potential years of life lost (PYLL), falls, ages 65+, by geographic region, 2002 to 2006 and 2007 to 2011

Table: Annual rate of potential years of life lost (PYLL), falls, ages 65+, by geographic region, 2002 to 2006 and 2007 to 2011

Geographic Region	Rate per 100,000, 2002 to 2006	Rate per 100,000, 2007 to 2011
SDHU	71.4	84.3
Northeast	64.6	74.6
Ontario	47.4	59.1

Table: Annual number of potential years of life lost (PYLL), falls, ages 65+, by geographic region, 2002 to 2006 and 2007 to 2011

Geographic Region	Total PYLL, 2002 to 2006	Total PYLL, 2007 to 2011	Average Annual Counts, 2002 to 2006	Average Annual Counts, 2007 to 2011
SDHU	78	99	15.6	19.8
Northeast	219	271	43.8	54.2
Ontario	2,798	3,834	559.6	766.8

 

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This item was last modified on August 8, 2017