Vital Signs: Drowning Death Rates, Self-Reported Swimming Skill, Swimming Lesson Participation, and Recreational Water Exposure - United States, 2019-2023.

Introduction: Drowning is the cause of approximately 4,000 U.S. deaths each year and disproportionately affects some age, racial, and ethnic groups. Infrastructure disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, including limited access to supervised swimming settings, might have affected drowning rates and risk. Data on factors that contribute to drowning risk are limited. To assess the potential impact of the pandemic on drowning death rates, pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic rates were compared. Methods: National Vital Statistics System data were used to compare unintentional drowning death rates in 2019 (pre-COVID-19 pandemic onset) with those in 2020, 2021, and 2022 (post-pandemic onset) by age, sex, and race and ethnicity. National probability-based online panel survey (National Center for Health Statistics Rapid Surveys System) data from October-November 2023 were used to describe adults' self-reported swimming skill, swimming lesson participation, and exposure to recreational water. Results: Unintentional drowning death rates were significantly higher during 2020, 2021, and 2022 compared with those in 2019. In all years, rates were highest among children aged 1-4 years; significant increases occurred in most age groups. The highest drowning rates were among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native and non-Hispanic Black or African American persons. Approximately one half (54.7%) of U.S. adults reported never having taken a swimming lesson. Swimming skill and swimming lesson participation differed by age, sex, and race and ethnicity. Conclusions and Implications for Public Health Practice: Recent increases in drowning rates, including those among populations already at high risk, have increased the urgency of implementing prevention strategies. Basic swimming and water safety skills training can reduce the risk for drowning. Addressing social and structural barriers that limit access to this training might reduce drowning deaths and inequities. The U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan provides recommendations and tools for communities and organizations to enhance basic swimming and water safety skills training.

Development and Evaluation of Syndromic Surveillance Definitions for Fall- and Hip Fracture-Related Emergency Department Visits Among Adults Aged 65 Years and Older, United States 2017-2018.

OBJECTIVE: To develop syndromic surveillance definitions for unintentional fall- and hip fracture-related emergency department (ED) visits among older adults (aged ≥65 years) for use in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP) data and compare the percentage of ED visits captured using these new syndromes with ED visits from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (HCUP-NEDS), a nationally representative administrative data set. DESIGN/SETTING: Syndromic definitions were developed using chief complaint terms and discharge diagnosis codes in NSSP data. The percentages of ED visits among older adults related to falls and hip fractures in NSSP were compared with the percentages in HCUP-NEDS in 2017 and 2018. MEASURES: Prevalence ratios were calculated as the relative difference in the percentage of ED visits related to falls or hip fractures in NSSP compared with HCUP-NEDS. Counts and percentages calculated using HCUP-NEDS were weighted to produce nationally representative estimates. Data were analyzed overall and by sex and age group. RESULTS: The percentage of ED visits among older adults related to falls in NSSP was 12% less in 2017 (10.81%) and 7% less in 2018 (11.42%) compared with HCUP-NEDS (2017: 12.30%; 2018: 12.26%). The percentage of ED visits among older adults related to hip fractures in NSSP was 41% less in 2017 (0.65%) and 30% less in 2018 (0.76%) compared with HCUP-NEDS (2017: 1.10%; 2018: 1.09%). In both 2017 and 2018, a higher percentage of ED visits among older women and adults aged 85 years or older were related to falls or hip fractures compared with older men and younger age groups across both data sets. CONCLUSION: A smaller percentage of older adults' ED visits met the falls and hip fracture definitions in NSSP compared with HCUP-NEDS in 2017 and 2018. However, demographic trends remained similar across both data sets.

Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations for Selected Nonfatal Injuries Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years - United States, 2018.

Approximately 60,000 older adults (aged ≥65 years) die from unintentional injuries each year; in 2019 these included 34,000 fall deaths, 8,000 traffic-related motor vehicle crash deaths, and 3,000 drug poisoning deaths (1). In addition, >9,000 suicide deaths occur among older adults each year (1). Deaths among older adults account for 33% of these unintentional injury deaths and 19% of suicide deaths among all age groups (1). Nonfatal injuries from these causes are more common in this age group and can lead to long-term health consequences, such as brain injury and loss of independence. This study included 2018 data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) to determine the prevalence of selected nonfatal injuries among older adults treated in emergency departments (EDs) and hospitals. Injury mechanisms among the leading causes of injury death in older adults were studied, including unintentional falls, unintentional traffic-related motor vehicle crashes, unintentional opioid overdoses, and self-harm (suicidal and nonsuicidal by any mechanism). In 2018, an estimated 2.4 million ED visits and >700,000 hospitalizations from these injuries occurred among adults aged ≥65 years. Unintentional falls accounted for >90% of the selected ED visits and hospitalizations. Injuries among older adults can be prevented (2). Educational campaigns, such as CDC's Still Going Strong* awareness campaign, that use positive messages can encourage older adults to take steps to prevent injuries. Health care providers can help prevent injuries by recommending that older patients participate in effective interventions, including referrals to physical therapy and deprescribing certain medications.†.

Persistent Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Fatal Unintentional Drowning Rates Among Persons Aged ≤29 Years - United States, 1999-2019.

During 1999-2019, a total of 81,947 unintentional drowning deaths occurred in the United States (1). Drowning is one of the three leading causes of unintentional injury death among persons aged ≤29 years and results in more deaths among children aged 1-4 years than any other cause except birth defects (2). Drowning death rates have decreased since 1990 (declining by 57% worldwide and by 32% in the United States) (3). However, because of racial/ethnic disparities in drowning risk, rates remain high among certain racial/ethnic groups, particularly American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons and Black or African-American (Black) persons (4). To assess whether decreasing drowning death rates have been accompanied by reductions in racial/ethnic disparities, and to further describe these disparities by age group and setting, CDC analyzed U.S. mortality data during 1999-2019. The drowning death rate among persons aged ≤29 years was 1.3 per 100,000 population. The rate per 100,000 among AI/AN persons (2.5) and Black persons (1.8) was higher than among all other racial/ethnic groups and was 2.0 and 1.5 times higher than among White persons (1.2). Racial/ethnic disparities in drowning death rates did not significantly decline for most groups, and the disparity in rates among Black persons compared with White persons increased significantly from 2005-2019. Drowning death rates are associated with persistent and concerning racial/ethnic disparities. A better understanding of the factors that contribute to drowning disparities is needed. Implementing and evaluating community-based interventions, including those promoting basic swimming and water safety skills, among disproportionately affected racial/ethnic groups could help reduce drowning disparities.

National rates of non-fatal emergency department visits and hospitalisations due to fall-related injuries in older adults 2010-2014 and 2016: transitioning from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM.

BACKGROUND: This study describes rates of non-fatal fall-injury emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalisations before and after the US 2015 transition from the 9th to 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM). METHODS: ED visit and hospitalisation data for adults aged 65+ years were obtained from the 2010-2016 Healthcare Cost and Utilisation Project. Differences in fall injury rates between 2010 and 2014 (before transition), and 2014 and 2016 (before and after transition) were analysed using t-tests. RESULTS: For ED visits, rates did not differ significantly between 2014 and 2016 (4288 vs 4318 per 100 000, respectively). Hospitalisation rates were lower in 2014 (1232 per 100 000) compared with 2016 (1281 per 100 000). CONCLUSION: Increased rates of fall-related hospitalisations could be an artefact of the transition or may reflect an increase in the rate of fall-related hospitalisations. Analyses of fall-related hospitalisations across the transition should be interpreted cautiously.

Trends in Nonfatal Falls and Fall-Related Injuries Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years - United States, 2012-2018.

Falls are the leading cause of injury among adults aged ≥65 years (older adults) in the United States. In 2018, an estimated 3 million emergency department visits, more than 950,000 hospitalizations or transfers to another facility (e.g., trauma center), and approximately 32,000 deaths resulted from fall-related injuries among older adults.* Deaths from falls are increasing, with the largest increases occurring among persons aged ≥85 years (1). To describe the percentages and rates of nonfatal falls by age group and demographic characteristics and trends in falls and fall-related injuries over time, data were analyzed from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and were compared with data from 2012, 2014, and 2016. In 2018, 27.5% of older adults reported falling at least once in the past year, and 10.2% reported an injury from a fall in the past year. The percentages of older adults reporting a fall increased between 2012 and 2016 and decreased slightly between 2016 and 2018. Falls are preventable, and health care providers can help their older patients reduce their risk for falls. Screening older patients for fall risk, assessing modifiable risk factors (e.g., use of psychoactive medications or poor gait and balance), and recommending interventions to reduce this risk (e.g., medication management or referral to physical therapy) can prevent older adult falls (https://www.cdc.gov/steadi).

Rehabilitation Utilization for Falls Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in the United States in the National Health and Aging Trends Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the characteristics of community-dwelling older adults receiving fall-related rehabilitation. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of the fifth round (2015) of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). Fall-related rehabilitation utilization was analyzed using weighted multinomial logistic regression with SEs adjusted for the sample design. SETTING: In-person interviews of a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older adults. PARTICIPANTS: Medicare beneficiaries from NHATS (N=7062). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Rehabilitation utilization categorized into fall-related rehabilitation, other rehabilitation, or no rehabilitation. RESULTS: Fall status (single fall: odds ratio [OR]=2.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.52-5.77; recurrent falls: OR=14.21; 95% CI, 7.45-27.10), fear of falling (OR=3.11; 95% CI, 1.90-5.08), poor Short Physical Performance Battery scores (score 0: OR=6.62; 95% CI, 3.31-13.24; score 1-4: OR=4.65; 95% CI, 2.23-9.68), and hip fracture (OR=3.24; 95% CI, 1.46-7.20) were all associated with receiving fall-related rehabilitation. Lower education level (less than high school diploma compared with 4-y college degree: OR=.21; 95% CI, .11-.40) and Hispanic ethnicity (OR=.37; 95% CI, .15-.87) were associated with not receiving fall-related rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: Hispanic older adults and older adults who are less educated are less likely to receive fall-related rehabilitation. Recurrent fallers followed by those who fell once in the past year were more likely to receive fall-related rehabilitation than are older adults who have not had a fall in the past year.

Syndromic Surveillance of Emergency Department Visits Related to Unintentional Drowning, United States, 2019-2022.

OBJECTIVES: To improve national drowning surveillance efforts, we developed and evaluated a definition for unintentional drowning for use in the National Syndromic Surveillance Program's ESSENCE platform (Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-Based Epidemics) and described drowning-related emergency department (ED) visits from 2019 through 2022 using the new definition. METHODS: We adapted an unintentional drowning definition from a previous version, which included all drowning-related ED visits regardless of intent (including drowning related to assault and suicide, as well as unintentional drowning). We reviewed a random sample of 1000 visits captured by the new definition of unintentional drowning and categorized visits as likely, possibly, and unlikely to be related to unintentional drowning. We compared monthly drowning-related ED visits from 2020, 2021, and 2022 with monthly drowning ED visits from 2019, overall and by sex and age group. RESULTS: A total of 35 431 ED visits related to unintentional drowning (10.71 per 100 000 ED visits) occurred from 2019 through 2022. Most visits (86%) captured by the new definition and manually reviewed were likely related to unintentional drowning. Rates were highest among males (14.04 per 100 000 ED visits) and children aged <1 to 4 years (65.61 per 100 000 ED visits). The number of drowning-related ED visits was higher in May and August 2020, May and June 2021, and May 2022 as compared with the same months in 2019 among people aged 18 to 44 years. CONCLUSIONS: The definition for unintentional drowning is available in the National Syndromic Surveillance Program's ESSENCE platform for state and local jurisdictions to use to monitor unintentional drowning-related ED visits in near-real time to inform prevention strategies.

Telemedicine-Based Risk Program to Prevent Falls Among Older Adults: Protocol for a Randomized Quality Improvement Trial.

BACKGROUND: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries (STEADI) initiative offers health care providers tools and resources to assist with fall risk screening and multifactorial fall risk assessment and interventions. Its effectiveness has never been evaluated in a randomized trial. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the protocol for the STEADI Options Randomized Quality Improvement Trial (RQIT), which was designed to evaluate the impact on falls and all-cause health expenditures of a telemedicine-based form of STEADI implemented among older adults aged 65 years and older, within a primary care setting. METHODS: STEADI Options was a pragmatic RQIT implemented within a health system comparing a telemedicine version of the STEADI fall risk assessment to the standard of care (SOC). Before screening, we randomized all eligible patients in participating clinics into the STEADI arm or SOC arm based on their scheduled provider. All received the Stay Independent screener (SIS) to determine fall risk. Patients were considered at risk for falls if they scored 4 or more on the SIS or answered affirmatively to any 1 of the 3 key questions within the SIS. Patients screened at risk for falls and randomized to the STEADI arm were offered a registered nurse (RN)-led STEADI assessment through telemedicine; the RN provided assessment results and recommendations to the providers, who were advised to discuss fall-prevention strategies with their patients. Patients screened at risk for falls and randomized to the SOC arm were asked to participate in study data collection only. Data on recruitment, STEADI assessments, use of recommended prevention services, medications, and fall occurrences were collected using electronic health records and patient surveys. Using staff time diaries and administrative records, the study prospectively collected data on STEADI implementation costs and all-cause outpatient and inpatient charges incurred over the year following enrollment. RESULTS: The study enrolled 720 patients (n=307, 42.6% STEADI arm; n=353, 49% SOC arm; and n=60, 8.3% discontinued arm) from September 2020 to December 2021. Follow-up data collection was completed in January 2023. As of February 2024, data analysis is complete, and results are expected to be published by the end of 2025. CONCLUSIONS: The STEADI RQIT evaluates the impact of a telemedicine-based, STEADI-based fall risk assessment on falls and all-cause health expenditures and can provide information on the intervention's effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05390736, http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05390736. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR1-10.2196/54395.

Hip Fracture-Related Emergency Department Visits, Hospitalizations and Deaths by Mechanism of Injury among Adults Aged 65 and Older, United States 2019.

OBJECTIVE: Describe rates of hip fracture-related emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and deaths among older adults (aged ≥65 years) in the United States. METHODS: Data from the 2019 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project and National Vital Statistics System were used to calculate rates of hip fracture-related ED visits, hospitalizations, and deaths among older adults by select characteristics and mechanism of injury. RESULTS: In 2019, there were 318,797 ED visits, 290,130 hospitalizations, and 7731 deaths related to hip fractures among older adults. About 88% of ED visits and hospitalizations and approximately 83% of deaths related to hip fractures were caused by falls. Rates were highest among older adults living in rural areas and among those aged ≥85 years. DISCUSSION: Most hip fractures among older adults are fall-related. Healthcare providers can prevent falls among their older patients by screening for fall risk, assessing modifiable risk factors, and offering evidence-based interventions.

Differences in fall-related emergency departments visits with and without an Injury, 2018.

BACKGROUND: Falls, with or without an injury, often affect the health of older adults (65+). METHODS: We used the 2018 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project to describe older adults' fall-related ED visits. We defined fall-related ED visits as those with a fall external cause of morbidity code and fall-injury related ED visits as those with an injury diagnosis code and a fall external cause of morbidity code. Percentages of fall-related and fall-injury related ED visits were analyzed by select characteristics. RESULTS: Over 86% of fall-related ED visits were fall-injury related. A higher percentage of females (87%) and rural (88%) older adults' fall-related ED visits were fall-injury related compared to males (85%) and urban older adults (86%). A higher percentage of fall-related ED visits without a coded injury (33%) were hospitalized compared to those with a coded injury (29%). CONCLUSION: The majority of fall-related ED visits included an injury diagnosis. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Researchers can consider which method of measuring ED visits related to falls is most appropriate for their study. Limiting fall-related ED visits to only those where an injury diagnosis is also present may underestimate the number of fall-related ED visits but may be appropriate for researchers specifically interested in fall injuries.

Increased unintentional drowning deaths in 2020 by age, race/ethnicity, sex, and location, United States.

INTRODUCTION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, one study in Australia showed an increase in drowning deaths in certain settings, while a study in China showed a decrease in drowning deaths. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on drowning deaths in the United States is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To report on unintentional drowning deaths among U.S. persons aged ≤29 years by demographic characteristics and compare 2020 fatal drowning rates with rates from 2010 to 2019. METHODS: Data from CDC WONDER were analyzed to calculate unintentional drowning death rates among persons aged ≤29 years by age group, sex, race/ethnicity, and location of drowning. These rates were compared to drowning death rates for the previous 10 years (2010-2019). RESULTS: In 2020, 1.26 per 100,000 persons aged ≤29 years died from unintentional drowning, a 16.79% increase from 2019. Drowning death rates decreased 1.81% per year on average (95% CI: -3.02%, -0.59%) from 2010 to 2019. The largest increases in unintentional drowning deaths from 2019 to 2020 occurred among young adults aged 20 to 24 years (44.12%), Black or African American persons (23.73%), and males (19.55%). The location with the largest increase in drowning was natural water (26.44%). CONCLUSION: Drowning death rates among persons aged ≤29 years significantly increased from 2019 to 2020. Further research is needed to understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on drowning and identify how drowning prevention strategies can be adapted and strengthened. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Drowning remains a leading cause of injury death among persons aged ≤29 years. However, drowning is preventable. Interventions such as learning basic swimming and water safety skills, and consistent use of lifejackets on boats and among weaker swimmers in natural water, have the potential to reduce drowning deaths. Developing strategies that ensure equitable access to these interventions may prevent future drowning.

Older Adults' Attitudes About Future Mobility Changes and the Usefulness of Mobility Assessment Materials.

OBJECTIVES: To understand older adults' attitudes about future mobility and usefulness of mobility assessment materials. METHODS: Data came from a telephone survey of 1,000 older adults aged 60-74 years. After answering baseline questions, respondents received mobility assessment materials, then completed follow-up interviews. Respondents were asked about future mobility challenges. During baseline and follow-up, subjects were asked four questions about their mobility as they aged which measured thinking about mobility, thinking about protecting mobility, confidence in protecting mobility, and motivation to protect mobility. Differences in percent of respondents' attitudes between baseline and follow-up and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: Driving (42%) was the most commonly reported challenge. Significant increases from baseline to follow-up in thinking about mobility (25%), thinking about protecting mobility (39%), and confidence in protecting mobility (29%) were reported. DISCUSSION: Brief mobility assessment materials can encourage older adults to consider future mobility. Planning for changes can prolong safe mobility.

A Descriptive Analysis of Location of Older Adult Falls That Resulted in Emergency Department Visits in the United States, 2015.

Introduction. Falls among older adults (age ≥65) are a common and costly health issue. Knowing where falls occur and whether this location differs by sex and age can inform prevention strategies. Objective. To determine where injurious falls that result in emergency department (ED) visits commonly occur among older adults in the United States, and whether these locations differ by sex and age. Methods. Using 2015 National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program data we reviewed narratives for ED patients aged ≥65 who had an unintentional fall as the primary cause of injury. Results. More fall-related ED visits (71.6%) resulted from falls that occurred indoors. A higher percentage of men's falls occurred outside (38.3%) compared to women's (28.4%). More fall-related ED visits were due to falls at home (79.2%) compared to falls not at home (20.8%). The most common locations for a fall at home were the bedroom, bathroom, and stairs. Conclusion. The majority of falls resulting in ED visits among older adults occurred indoors and varied by sex and age. Knowing common locations of injurious falls can help older adults and caregivers prioritize home modifications. Understanding sex and age differences related to fall location can be used to develop targeted prevention messages.

Seasonal variation in fall-related emergency department visits by location of fall - United States, 2015.

INTRODUCTION: In the United States, fall-related emergency department (ED) visits among older adults (age 65 and older) have increased over the past decade. Studies document seasonal variation in fall injuries in other countries, while research in the United States is inconclusive. The objectives of this study were to examine seasonal variation in older adult fall-related ED visits and explore if seasonal variation differs by the location of the fall (indoors vs. outdoors), age group, and sex of the faller. METHODS: Fall-related ED visit data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program were analyzed by season of the ED visit, location of the fall, and demographics for adults aged 65 years and older. RESULTS: Total fall-related ED visits were higher during winter compared with other seasons. This seasonal variation was found only for falls occurring outdoors. Among outdoor falls, the variation was found among males and adults aged 65 to 74 years. The percentages of visits for weather-related outdoor falls were also higher among males and the 65-74 year age group. CONCLUSIONS: In 2015, there was a seasonal variation in fall-related ED visits in the United States. Weather-related slips and trips in winter may partially account for the seasonal variation. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: These results can inform healthcare providers about the importance of screening all older adults for fall risk and help to identify specific patients at increased risk during winter. They may encourage community-based organizations serving older adults to increase fall prevention messaging during winter.

Fall-related emergency department visits involving alcohol among older adults.

PROBLEM: Falls are the leading cause of injury deaths among adults aged 65 years and older. Characteristics of these falls may vary with alcohol use. OBJECTIVE: Describe and compare characteristics of older adult fall-related emergency department (ED) visits with indication of alcohol to visits with no indication. METHODS: Using nationally-representative 2015 National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program data, we compared demographic characteristics for fall-related ED visits by indication of alcohol consumption. Alcohol-indicated ED visits were matched on age group, sex, treatment month, and treatment day to ED visits with no alcohol indication using a 1:4 ratio and injury characteristics (i.e., diagnosis, body part injured, disposition) were compared. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Of 38,640 ED records, 906 (1.9%) indicated use of alcohol. Fall-related ED visits among women were less likely to indicate alcohol (1.0%) compared to ED visits among men (3.8%). ED visits indicating alcohol decreased with age from 4.1% for those 65-74 years to 1.5% for those 75-84 and <1% for those 85+. After controlling for age-group, sex, and month and day of treatment, 17.0% of ED visits with no alcohol indication had a traumatic brain injury compared to 34.8% of alcohol-indicated ED visits. Practical applications: Alcohol-indicated fall ED visits resulted in more severe head injury than those that did not indicate alcohol. To determine whether alcohol use should be part of clinical risk assessment for older adult falls, more routinely collected data and detailed information on the amount of alcohol consumed at the time of the fall are needed.

Injury Diagnosis and Affected Body Part for Nonfatal Fall-Related Injuries in Community-Dwelling Older Adults Treated in Emergency Departments.

Objective: To estimate frequency and type of older adult fall-related injuries treated in emergency departments (EDs). Methods: We used the 2015 National Electronic Injury Surveillance System: All Injury Program. Patient data were abstracted from the narratives describing the circumstance of injury. Data for community-dwelling older adults (n = 34,336) were analyzed to explore differences in injury diagnosis by demographic characteristics, location of fall, and disposition. Results: 70% of head-related injuries were internal injuries, suggestive of a traumatic brain injury. Most hip injuries were fractures or dislocations (73.3%). Women had higher percentages of fractures/dislocations but lower percentages of internal injuries than men. About a third of fall-related ED visits required hospitalization or transfer. Discussion: Falls in older adults result in array of injuries and pose a burden on the healthcare system. Understanding how fall injuries vary by different characteristics can help inform targeted prevention strategies.

Utilization of driving and other transportation rehabilitation in the National Health and Aging Trends Study.

BACKGROUND: As people age, their mobility begins to decrease. In an effort to maintain mobility, this population can seek out rehabilitation services with the goal of improving their driving. However, it is unclear who has sought out rehabilitation for this purpose. OBJECTIVE: To better understand, identify, and describe the characteristics of older adults who utilize rehabilitation with the purpose of improved driving. METHODS: Data was analyzed from the fifth round of the National Health and Aging Trends study (NHATS), which is made up of Medicare beneficiaries over the age of 65 that are community-dwelling. Rehabilitation utilization specifically for improved driving and other transportation was analyzed. Adjusted weighted logistic regression was conducted to better understand and identify the characteristics of the study population that received rehabilitation services for the purpose of improved driving ability. RESULTS: Nineteen percent (N = 1,335) of this cohort received rehabilitation in the past year. Of those, 10% (N = 128) received rehabilitation to specifically improve driving and 2% (N = 25) did so to improve other transportation. Older adults who were single, separated, or never married were less likely to use rehabilitation for improving driving ability, compared to older adults who were married (OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.11-0.80). CONCLUSION: Older adults who are married were more likely to report they wanted to improve their driving ability with rehabilitation. The role of rehabilitation services to improve driving among older adults will play a key role in the coming years as older adults strive to maintain their independence.

Aging without injury in the United States requires action today.

INTRODUCTION: In 2017, unintentional injuries were the seventh leading cause of death among older adults (age ≥ 65), resulting in over 55,000 deaths. Falls accounted for more than half of these deaths. Given that older adults are the fastest growing age group in the United States, we can anticipate that injuries will become an even greater health concern in the near future. METHODS: Aging without injury is possible. There are evidence-based strategies that can reduce falls. However, older adults may not realize that falls can be prevented or they may be afraid to admit their fear of falling or difficulty with walking as these issues may signal their inability to live independently. RESULTS: In this commentary, we will highlight what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is doing to prevent older adult falls. We also highlight the importance of broadening older adults' awareness about falls to successfully empower them to begin contemplating and preparing to adopt fall prevention strategies that can help them age in place. CONCLUSIONS: Older adult falls are common and can result in severe injury and death but they can be prevented. Broadening older adults' awareness about falls can empower them to take the actions necessary to reduce their fall risk. Practical applications: Increasing awareness about falls can help older adults, healthcare providers, and local and state health departments take steps to reduce fall risk.