[An analysis of fall accidents using Kochi Fire Department ambulance statistics].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine ambulance usage due to fall accidents in Kochi City.


METHODS
The survey period was one year, from January to December, 2005. A total of 967 ambulance responses to fall accidents were recorded by the Kochi Fire Department during this period. Ambulance responses to fall accidents were analyzed in terms of sex, age, time, and place of fall. Adults were defined as subjects between the ages of 18 and 64; elderly adults were defined as being 65 or older.


RESULTS
The number of ambulance responses per a population sample of 1000 people was 1.32 cases in adults (men 1.55, women 1.11) and 10.48 cases in elderly adults (men 9.14, women 11.32). The proportion of outdoor falls for adults was 60.8%, for women and 56.8% for men. The respective values for elderly adults were 54.9% and 36.6%. The majority of elderly adult women fell down indoors. More falls occurred in winter (from December to February) than in the other seasons. There were more falls in December than other months.


CONCLUSIONS
Fall incidence varies according to sex, age and season. We can conclude that the causes and places of falls are related to physical activity and season. Fire department ambulance records can be utilized to analyze fall situation in local areas. Such analyses should lead to new approaches to fall prevention measures.
Yoshimoto
Yoshinobu
Y
Department of Rehabilitation, Koseinenkin Kochi Rehabilitation Hospital.
Sano
Naomi
N
Miki
Fumie
F
Hamaoka
Katsumi
K
Sato
Atsushi
A
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000552:Ambulances / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012621:Seasons