Reducing fall injuries with better data
Abstract Background Fall deaths in the USA almost tripled in the twenty-first century. While various interventions have been effective in reducing fall deaths, they have failed to make a substantial impact at a population level. Main body An overarching factor that has been relatively neglected in f...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Injury Epidemiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-023-00481-2 |
| _version_ | 1797377232591650816 |
|---|---|
| author | David Hemenway Elizabeth W. Peterson Jonathan Howland |
| author_facet | David Hemenway Elizabeth W. Peterson Jonathan Howland |
| author_sort | David Hemenway |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Fall deaths in the USA almost tripled in the twenty-first century. While various interventions have been effective in reducing fall deaths, they have failed to make a substantial impact at a population level. Main body An overarching factor that has been relatively neglected in fall injury prevention is the need for more and better data. We need better data on the causes and circumstances of older adult fall deaths. While there are excellent national surveillance systems on the circumstances of other injury deaths (e.g., motor vehicle crashes, suicides, and homicides), such a system is lacking for fall deaths. These other data systems have been instrumental in indicating and evaluating policies that will reduce injury. It is also important to provide consumers with better information concerning the many products that affect the likelihood of fall injury (e.g., flooring, hip protectors, footwear). Automotive buyers are provided with relevant up-to-date make-model safety information from crash tests and real-world performance. Such information not only helps protect buyers from purchasing dangerous products, but it provides producers with the incentive to make ever safer products over time. Conclusion We believe that creation of a national surveillance system on the circumstances of fall deaths, and increased testing/certifying of fall-related products, are two steps that would help create the conditions for continuous reductions in fall fatalities. Fall prevention should apply some of the same basic strategies that have proved effective in addressing other injuries. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T19:50:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e736159670a94c689bc1701ad417c2a6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2197-1714 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T19:50:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Injury Epidemiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-e736159670a94c689bc1701ad417c2a62023-12-24T12:07:38ZengBMCInjury Epidemiology2197-17142023-12-011011310.1186/s40621-023-00481-2Reducing fall injuries with better dataDavid Hemenway0Elizabeth W. Peterson1Jonathan Howland2Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthDepartment of Occupational Therapy, University of Illinois at ChicagoDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of MedicineAbstract Background Fall deaths in the USA almost tripled in the twenty-first century. While various interventions have been effective in reducing fall deaths, they have failed to make a substantial impact at a population level. Main body An overarching factor that has been relatively neglected in fall injury prevention is the need for more and better data. We need better data on the causes and circumstances of older adult fall deaths. While there are excellent national surveillance systems on the circumstances of other injury deaths (e.g., motor vehicle crashes, suicides, and homicides), such a system is lacking for fall deaths. These other data systems have been instrumental in indicating and evaluating policies that will reduce injury. It is also important to provide consumers with better information concerning the many products that affect the likelihood of fall injury (e.g., flooring, hip protectors, footwear). Automotive buyers are provided with relevant up-to-date make-model safety information from crash tests and real-world performance. Such information not only helps protect buyers from purchasing dangerous products, but it provides producers with the incentive to make ever safer products over time. Conclusion We believe that creation of a national surveillance system on the circumstances of fall deaths, and increased testing/certifying of fall-related products, are two steps that would help create the conditions for continuous reductions in fall fatalities. Fall prevention should apply some of the same basic strategies that have proved effective in addressing other injuries.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-023-00481-2FallsFall deathsFall injuriesSurveillance systemsData systemsStandards |
| spellingShingle | David Hemenway Elizabeth W. Peterson Jonathan Howland Reducing fall injuries with better data Injury Epidemiology Falls Fall deaths Fall injuries Surveillance systems Data systems Standards |
| title | Reducing fall injuries with better data |
| title_full | Reducing fall injuries with better data |
| title_fullStr | Reducing fall injuries with better data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reducing fall injuries with better data |
| title_short | Reducing fall injuries with better data |
| title_sort | reducing fall injuries with better data |
| topic | Falls Fall deaths Fall injuries Surveillance systems Data systems Standards |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-023-00481-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT davidhemenway reducingfallinjurieswithbetterdata AT elizabethwpeterson reducingfallinjurieswithbetterdata AT jonathanhowland reducingfallinjurieswithbetterdata |