• P Scuffham, S Chaplin, and R Legood.
• York Health Economics Consortium Ltd, University of York, UK. pas8@york.ac.uk
• J Epidemiol Community Health. 2003 Sep 1; 57 (9): 740-4.

Study ObjectiveTo estimate the number of accident and emergency (A&E) attendances, admissions to hospital, and the associated costs as a result of unintentional falls in older people.DesignAnalysis of national databases for cost of illness.SettingUnited Kingdom, 1999, cost to the National Health Service (NHS) and Personal Social Services (PSS).ParticipantsFour age groups of people 60 years and over (60-64, 65-69, 70-74, and >/=75) attending an A&E department or admitted to hospital after an unintentional fall. Databases analysed were the Home Accident Surveillance System (HASS) and Leisure Accident Surveillance System (LASS), and Hospital Episode Statistics (HES).Main ResultsThere were 647,721 A&E attendances and 204,424 admissions to hospital for fall related injuries in people aged 60 years and over. For the four age groups A&E attendance rates per 10,000 population were 273.5, 287.3, 367.9, and 945.3, and hospital admission rates per 10,000 population were 34.5, 52.0, 91.9, and 368.6. The cost per 10,000 population was pound 300,000 in the 60-64 age group, increasing to pound 1,500,000 in the >/=75 age group. These falls cost the UK government pound 981 million, of which the NHS incurred 59.2%. Most of the costs (66%) were attributable to falls in those aged >/=75 years. The major cost driver was inpatient admissions, accounting for 49.4% of total cost of falls. Long term care costs were the second highest, accounting for 41%, primarily in those aged >/=75 years.ConclusionsUnintentional falls impose a substantial burden on health and social services.

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