Over 70? A Stay in Hospital Doubles Your Risk of Falling

Hospital is usually considered a fairly safe place, but a stay can have undesirable consequences. Californian researchers examined follow-up data on over 3,000 men and women aged 70 to 79, counting hospital admissions and fractures over an average of 6½ years. Their report war published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. They found that, after adjusting for age, race, gender, and other possible biasing factors, that those participants who had any hospitalization were over twice as likely to experience a fracture as those who hadn’t been hospitalized. In particular, they had an increased risk of hip fracture.

Those who had been hospitalized twice during the follow-up period had a 2.4-time increased risk, and 3 or more hospital stays carried a 3.7-times increased risk of hip fracture.

This report should lend purpose to the teaching opportunity when an older person is hospitalized. Before discharge, they should be educated on the likelihood of falls in the home, and the risks of disability and mortality associated with falls at an advanced age. You have been warned, and should know what to do!