title: The personal and health service impact of falls in 85 year olds: cross-sectional findings from the Newcastle 85+ cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Falls are common in older people and increase in prevalence with advancing old age. There is limited knowledge about their impact in those aged 85 years and older, the fastest growing age group of the population. We investigated the prevalence and impact of falls, and the overlap between falls, dizziness and blackouts, in a population-based sample of 85 year olds.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from Newcastle 85+ Cohort Study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary care, North-East England.
  
  
  METHODS
  816 men and women aged 85 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Structured interview with research nurse. Cost-consequence analysis of fall-related healthcare costs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over 38% (313/816) of participants had fallen at least once in the previous 12 months and of these: 10.6% (33/312) sustained a fracture, 30.1% (94/312) attended an emergency department, and 12.8% (40/312) were admitted to hospital. Only 37.2% (115/309) of fallers had specifically discussed their falls problem with their general practitioner and only 12.7% (39/308) had seen a falls specialist. The average annual healthcare cost per faller was estimated at £202 (inter-quartile range £174-£231) or US$329 ($284-$377). 'Worry about falling' was experienced by 42.0% (128/305) of fallers, 'loss of confidence' by 40.0% (122/305), and 'going out less often' by 25.9% (79/305); each was significantly more common in women, odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for women: men of 2.63 (1.45-4.55), 4.00 (2.27-7.14), and 2.86 (1.54-5.56) respectively. Dizziness and blackouts were reported by 40.0% (318/796) and 6.4% (52/808) of participants respectively. There was marked overlap in the report of falls, dizziness and blackouts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Falls in 85 year olds are very common, associated with considerable psychological and physical morbidity, and have high impact on healthcare services. Wider use of fall prevention services is needed. Significant expansion in acute and preventative services is required in view of the rapid growth in this age group.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. joanna.collerton@ncl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Collerton
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kingston
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bond
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Martin P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Eccles
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jagger
authors.forename: Thomas B L
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Kirkwood
authors.forename: Julia L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Newton
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004244:Dizziness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000453:epidemiology*