Situation and trends of injuries from falls in elderly patients visiting outpatient departments in Thailand between 2020 and 2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59096/wesr.v57i5.7177Keywords:
outpatient, elderly, falls, ThailandAbstract
Introduction: Falls in the elderly are a major public health issue that one in three seniors experiences a fall each year. The aims are to study the situation and trends of injuries from falls in elderly patients visiting outpatient departments in Thailand between 2020 and 2024.
Methods: This descriptive study analyzed retrospective data with ICD-10 disease codes W00–W19 between 2020 and 2024 from the Health Data Center (HDC) of the Ministry of Public Health.
Results: The rate of elderly patients visiting outpatient departments due to falls increased nearly threefold over the past five years. Females had higher rates than males, and those aged 80 and above had the highest rates among all age groups. Health Region 1 consistently had the highest outpatient rates each year. The main causes were slipping, tripping, or misstepping on level surfaces.
Conclusion and Discussion: Falls among the elderly are increasing in line with the growing elderly population. Prevention measures are needed, including providing access to fall-prevention information, risk screening, and home environment modifications to enhance safety.
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