Incidence trends of injury among the elderly in Spain, 2000-2010.
BACKGROUND
The significant growth in the elderly population expected in the coming years demands a thorough and up-to-date understanding of the incidence of injuries in this group for purposes of prevention polices and their evaluation. The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of injuries in hospital inpatients over 64 years of age in Spain, stratified by sex, age group, and the severity and mechanism of injury, and to analyse trends in incidence during the period 2000-2010.


METHODS
Descriptive trends study using data from the National Hospital Discharge Register. The dependent variable was the number of hospital discharges with injury. Stratified incidence rates were calculated per 100,000 inhabitants. Trends, in terms of annual per cent change, were assessed using Poisson regression with discharge year as the independent variable.


RESULTS
Rates of injury were higher among women than men, increased with age in both sexes, with individuals aged ≥85 years having a fivefold greater risk than those aged 65-69 years. During the period 2000-2010, incidence increased annually by 1.1% in men and 0.9% in women aged 75-79 years, 2.3% and 1.6% in 80-84-year-olds and 3.3% and 2.4% in ≥85-year-olds, respectively. The incidence of all levels of injury severity and all mechanisms of injury increased during the study period, except for traffic injuries, which decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
Incidence of injury in the elderly is rising, particularly in older individuals, indicating that the increase in the number of hospitalisations is not a consequence of population aging only.
Departament de Salut i Acció Social, Universitat de Vic (UVic), Vic, Barcelona, Spain Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.
Eva
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0381-358X
E
Cirera
Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Barcelona, Spain CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.
Katherine
K
Pérez
Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Barcelona, Spain CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.
Elena
E
Santamariña-Rubio
Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Barcelona, Spain Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.
Ana M
AM
Novoa
Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Barcelona, Spain CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.
Marta
M
Olabarria
D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control
Injury Diagnosis