Fall-related fracture trends among elderly in Sweden - exploring transitions among hospitalized cases

Problem: Fall-related injuries have been a cause of worry during the end of the 20th century with increasing trends among the elderly. Method: Using data from the Swedish National Patient Register (NPR) based on hospital admissions, this study explores the trends in fall-related fractures between 1998 and 2010. Results: The data shows a decreasing trend in fall-related fractures in all age- and sex-specific groups apart from men 80 years and above. While hip fracture incidence rates decreased in all age- and sex-specific groups, both central fractures and upper extremity fractures have increased in all age- and sex-specific groups apart from women 65-79 years. Lower extremity fractures have increased in the older age groups and decreased in the younger. Discussion: The differences found between the groups of fractures and by age- and sex-specific groups indicate a possible transition where more serious fractures are decreasing while less serious fractures increase among hospitalized cases. Summary: Perhaps due to a focus on hip fracture prevention, this study shows that while the incidence rate of hospitalized hip fractures has decreased, other fall-related hospitalized fractures have increased. Impact on industry: Potentially, this could be indicative of a healthier younger elderly, coupled with a frailer older elderly requiring more comprehensive healthcare also for less serious injuries. Further research is needed to confirm our results. (C) 2013 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.