About one in six Americans 65 and older have suffered a fall in the past three months, with about a third of those people sustaining injuries such as a broken hip, U.S. health officials said on Thursday.
Falls are a leading threat to the independence of elderly people and their ability to function, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
About 16,000 are killed by injuries from falls each year and many others left disabled, the CDC said.
The CDC in 2006 surveyed 92,808 people 65 years and older to track falls and fall-related injuries.
The findings showed about 5.8 million people — about 16 percent of the age group — reported having fallen at least once during the preceding three months. And 1.8 million people — about 5 percent of the age group — reported being injured in a fall in the past three months.
"It's a tremendous public health problem because so many older adults are affected," CDC epidemiologist Judy Stevens, who led the study, said in a telephone interview.
A higher percentage of women reported fall-related injuries than men, and the risking of falling increased with age, the CDC said.
The people in the survey were not asked about the severity of their injuries, meaning they could range from a minor bruise up to a severe head injury or broken hip.
Fall-related costs top $19 billion
"Even when those injuries are minor, they can seriously affect older adults' quality of life by inducing a fear of falling, which can lead to self-imposed activity restrictions, social isolation and depression," the CDC said.
The CDC said annual direct medical costs for fall-related U.S. injuries for the elderly were estimated at $19 billion in 2000.
The CDC said the survey may underestimate the problem because it did not involve people in long-term care facilities, who may be more frail and prone to falls.
Stevens said exercise and physical therapy may cut the risk of falling by strengthening muscles and improving balance.
