Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalisations and deaths in Australia.
The latest report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) found that in 2023–24:
- there were 248,211 hospitalisations due to fall, accounting for 43% of all injury admissions
- a fall on same level from slipping, tripping and stumbling, other fall on same level and unspecified fall were the fall types most often associated with injury hospitalisations
- the estimated cost of falls to the health system exceeded $5 billion annually.
The number of injury deaths caused by falls is increasing. In 2022–23:
- 6,698 Australians died as a result of falls, accounting for 43% of all injury deaths
- the age-standardised rate was 8.2% higher than the previous 5-year average rate of 16.5 per 100,000 population
- most fall injury deaths were for unspecified fall, other fall excluded from above and fall on same level from slipping, tripping and stumbling.
Older Australians are disproportionately affected: those aged 85 and over had crude rates of 10,283 hospitalisations and 740 deaths per 100,000 population. Women were more likely to be hospitalised, while men had higher mortality rates.
The average hospital stay for fall-related injuries was 4.8 days, longer than for other injuries, and in-hospital death rates were nearly double. Falls predominantly occur at home (44%) and during routine daily activities (11%).
In 2023–24, fractures were by far the most common type of injury during fall hospitalisations (53%). The three body parts most frequently injured in fall hospitalisations were:
- head and neck (28.7%)
- hip and lower limb (25.6%)
- shoulder and upper limb (22.5%).
Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people:
- there were 8,843 hospitalisations due to falls in 2023–24
- males were more likely than females to be hospitalised
- hospitalisation rates were highest among people aged 65+
- there were 61 deaths due to falls in 2022–23
- females were 1.1 times as likely as males to die.
How does WA compare to other states and territories?
Western Australia has the lowest rates of fall injury hospitalisations (578.9 per 100,000) compared to other Australian states and territories:
- Northern Territory (1,264.6 per 100,000)
- Australian Capital Territory (970.0 per 100,000)
- Queensland (908.8 per 100,000)
- Victoria (778.1 per 100,000)
- South Australia (747.9 per 100,000)
- New South Wales (684.7 per 100,000)
- Tasmania (642.1 per 100,000)
However, there was an increase of about 10% in fall injury death rates compared to the previous 5-year average, increasing from 18.0 to 19.7 per 100,000 in 2022–23. This makes WA the second-highest state/territory for fall injury hospitalisations.
These findings highlight that falls remain a significant public health issue for older Australians. Join the Falls Prevention Alliance in calling for policy change to reduce fall-related injuries in older Australians. We need a national action plan and better funding of evidence-based services to better protect older adults.