Hip fractures in the elderly: surveillance methods and injury control.
Injury is a major health problem in the United States that has been viewed primarily as a disease of the young. As a result, the devastating consequences of injury on the elderly population have not been sufficiently explored. Proximal femur fractures (hip fractures), common injuries in persons over the age of 65, carry a mild Injury Severity Score but are associated with high morbidity and mortality in the older population. The author provides a rationale based on clinical and research literature for increasing injury surveillance for hip fractures in the elderly in order that injury care and control can be improved.
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D006293:Health Promotion; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D012042:Registries; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology