Public health and aging: nonfatal injuries among older adults treated in hospital emergency departments--United States, 2001

Abstract

Because injuries generally are considered a problem of the young, injuries among older adults (i.e., persons aged > or =65 years) have received little attention. However, injuries are the eighth leading cause of death among older adults in the United States. In 2001, approximately 2.7 million older adults were treated for nonfatal injuries in hospital emergency departments (EDs); the majority of these injuries were the result of falls. To characterize nonfatal injuries among older adults, CDC analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP). This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicate differences in type and mechanism of injury by sex, suggesting that prevention programs should be designed and tailored differently for men and women.