Injury Matters is proud to release the 2024 Western Australian Falls Report. This annual publication continues to demonstrate the frequent and growing impact that falls have on the WA community, particularly among our older adult population.
As highlighted in the infographics below, the frequency of injuries due to falls is resulting in members of the WA community regularly accessing health services for acute care.
In isolation these figures are concerning. However previous WA Falls Reports demonstrate the growing incidence of falls in WA and the alarming impact that this is having on our community and the healthcare system. For example, there has been a 43% increase in the number of hospital bed days occupied due to a falls incident from 2018 to 2022. The 53% increase in the number of falls fatalities from 2017 to 2021 is other significant reason for concern.
Within the Report a number of sub-populations are overrepresented, including;
- Older adults recording the highest rate of falls fatalities, hospitalisations and ED attendances,
- Males experiencing a higher rate of falls fatalities, hospitalisations and ED attendances,
- Aboriginal peoples accounting for 5% of all falls hospitalisations despite representing 3% of our population, and
- Kimberley residents experiencing the highest rate of falls hospitalisations compared to other areas of WA, for the fifth consecutive year.
Given the enduring impact of falls on the Western Australian community there is no questioning that coordinated action and additional resources are required to reduce the growing impact of falls in WA. Within the publication Injury Matters makes a number of recommendations to enhance WA’s falls prevention initiatives, including the need to;
- Scale up evidence-based initiatives,
- Improve access to falls risk assessments and local falls prevention programs,
- Provide tailored support for priority population groups,
- Improve the integration of acute care services and prevention programs,
- Raise awareness of the impact of falls across all age groups, and
- Increase investment in monitoring the incidence of falls nationally.
Injury Matters encourages you to access the 2024 WA Falls Report to understand the incidence of falls in WA, share it amongst your networks and work with us to reduce the impact that falls has on the WA community.
Injury Matters developed the 2024 WA Falls Report with funding from the Western Australian Department of Health.
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