• Jyoti Atri, R Nicholas Pugh, and David Bowden.
• Department of Public Health Medicine, Walsall Teaching Primary Care Trust, Lichfield House, 27-31 Lichfield Street, Walsall WS1 1TE, UK. jyoti.atri@walsall.nhs.uk
• J Public Health (Oxf). 2005 Mar 1; 27 (1): 33-5.

BackgroundAccident and Emergency (A and E) is the first port of call for most people who have experienced an injurious fall. This provides the potential for identifying patients who may benefit from preventative interventions. This study aims to estimate the percentage of falls attendances that are not recorded on computerised A and E records.MethodsA retrospective cohort study design was used to study patients attending A and E with falls related injuries.ResultsThe survey revealed poor recording of falls with 38 per cent (95 per cent CI +/- 8.82 per cent) of patient reported falls not recorded on computerised A and E records. More than half of those reporting a fall as the reason for attendance at A and E, reported previous falls, with 21 per cent reporting subsequent falls.ConclusionsA and E could play an important role in secondary falls prevention. Improving recording of falls in A and E is an essential prerequisite.

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