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. 2020 Oct;26(5):412-416.
doi: 10.1136/injuryprev-2019-043280. Epub 2019 Aug 30.

Fall-related deaths among older adults in British Columbia: cause and effect of policy change

Aayushi Joshi  1 , Fahra Rajabali  2 , Kate Turcotte  1 , M Denise Beaton  1   3 , Ian Pike  1   4
Affiliations

Fall-related deaths among older adults in British Columbia: cause and effect of policy change

Aayushi Joshi et al. Inj Prev. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

Background: The British Columbia Coroners Service implemented a policy in 2010 advising the reclassification of underlying causes of deaths due to falls from 'natural' to 'accidental'. This study investigates whether observed data trends reflect this change in practice, are artefacts of inconsistent reporting, or indicate a true increase in fall-related deaths.

Methods: Mortality data were analysed from 2004 to 2017 for cases with International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision fall codes W00-W19, occurring among adults aged 60 years and older.

Results: From 2010 to 2012, accidental fall-related deaths increased among those aged 80 years and older, followed by an increase in natural deaths with fall as the contributing cause.

Conclusions: Changes in reporting resulting from the 2010 policy change were observed; however, post-2012 data indicate a reversion to previous reporting practices.

Keywords: coding systems; fall; mortality; older people; policy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Proportion of fall-related deaths among adults 80 years and older, by UCD, British Columbia, 2004–2017. UCD, underlying cause of death.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Fall-related mortality rates per 100 000 population among adults 80 years and older, by cause of death, British Columbia, 2004–2017. CCD, contributing cause of death; UCD, underlying cause of death.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Proportion of fall-related deaths among older adults aged 60–69 and 70–79, by UCD, British Columbia, 2004–2017. UCD, underlying cause of death.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Fall-related mortality rates per 100 000 population among older adults aged 60–69 and 70–79, by cause of death, British Columbia, 2004–2017. CCD, contributing cause of death; UCD, underlying cause of death.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Fall-related mortality rates among older adults aged 80 and older, national and by province, 2004–2017.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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