Falls and fall-related injuries are now more common among middle-aged adults. An article published in the May 2 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report reveals that Americans with arthritic conditions are at higher risk for falls and fall-related injuries than those without the condition.
Researchers used data from the 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to examine state-specific prevalence of falls and fall-related injury in adults aged 45 years or older with those without physician-diagnosed arthritis. The report showed that fall injuries in the past 12 months were significantly higher among adults with arthritis compared to those without the condition. Report showing the age-adjusted median prevalence of fall injuries tended to be 2.5 times higher among adults with arthritis.
For a single fall, the rates among adults with and without arthritis were 15.5 percent versus 12.1 percent, respectively. For two or more falls, the rates were about 21 percent for people with the condition compared to 9 percent of those without the condition.
In addition, the CDC team noted that the rate of prevalence of this arthritic condition is nearly 50 percent among adults 65 and older and about 30 percent among adults ages 45 to 64. These age groups account for 52 percent of U.S. adults.
The research concluded that the number of adults with the condition is expected to increase steadily through at least 2030, putting more adults at higher risk for falls and fall injuries.
According to the researchers, these findings underline the need for new public health approaches focusing on fall prevention, particularly exercise or physical therapy to improve gait, balance and lower body strength. The team requested healthcare providers to address this growing public health problem by raising awareness about the link between arthritis and falls, evaluating evidence-based arthritis interventions for their effects on falls, and implementing slip/fall prevention programs more widely through changes in clinical and community practice.