Major Causes of Unintentional Injuries Among Older Persons: An Annotated Bibliography

摘要

In 1988, people over 65 years of age constituted 12.4% of the population. By the year 2000, this percentage will increase to 13% and by 2030, to 22%. The most rapid population increase over the next decade will be among persons over 85 years of age. Unintentional injuries are the seventh leading cause of death among older adults in the United States. In 1991, more than 10,000 people over the age of 65 died of unintentional injuries. The major causes of injury deaths among older people are motor vehicle crashes, falls, drownings, fires and burns, and poisonings. These high mortality rates are related to a combination of factors, including older people-s decreasing ability to perceive and avoid hazards such as moving automobiles$ musculoskeletal, perceptual, and balance difficulties that increase the likelihood of falls$ greater likelihood that an incident will produce an injury$ and poorer outcome following an injury. Injury prevention is an important public health issue.