8 Key Slip and Fall Statistics in Australia and New Zealand
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, falls are the largest contributor to hospitalised injury cases and the leading cause of accidental injury deaths in Australia. Meanwhile, in New Zealand, falling over is the most common cause of injuries. Read more slip and fall statistics related to these two countries below:
"In 2017–18, 42% of hospitalised injury cases and 40% of accidental injury deaths were due to falls."
Falls resulted in 222,725 hospitalisation cases in Australia in the same period. This means that around 898 people per 100,000 population were hospitalised due to falls. Moreover, falls also resulted in 5,156 deaths - around 20.8 per 100,000 population.
"Falls are the most common cause of injury in older people (>65 years)."
In 2018, New Zealand reports 193,954 people of the 65+ age group had injuries from falling. This means that around one in three people over 65 are injured over falls every year. However, this number rises to two in three people once they reach 80. What's more, by 2035, the number of people over 65 in the country is expected to double to 1.2 million which means that the number of cases may also double in just a few years.
“At least 50% or more of falls among older adults with intellectual disability result in injury and between 6-11% result in severe injuries, such as fractures or concussion.”
Falls are also a cause of concern for people living with disabilities, especially among older adults with intellectual disabilities. Moreover, people living with disabilities have been observed to experience signs of ageing only in their third decade of life. As such, they are considered ‘older adults’ even in their younger years, meaning they are more at risk of falls; an American study in 2015 had sufficient data that reported an overall 0.85–1.06 injurious fall rate per year.
"The top cause of falls is slipping, tripping or stumbling on the same level."
There are many types of injuries from falls that result in hospitalisation, such as fractures and head trauma. In Australia, out of more than 200,000 cases reported from 2017 to 2018, 64,080 of those resulted from slipping, tripping or stumbling on the same level. This is followed by other types of falls on the same level. Meanwhile, falls on or from a ladder result in the least cases of falls, with only 23 out of 100,000 population. This goes to show how people should pay extra attention to fall risks on same level environments, which we usually consider as safe and ‘risk-free’.
"Patients who have injuries due to falls stay an average of 4.6 days in the hospital."
According to the AIHW National Hospital Morbidity Database from 2017 to 2018, the average number of stays in the hospital due to falls in Australia are longer than the average for hospitalisation of injuries which is approximately 3.3 days. In addition, some cases resulted in stays in intensive care or continuous ventilator support. Fortunately, only 1.7% went into intensive care for all hospitalised fall cases, and 0.4% needed continued ventilator support. Injuries resulting in intensive care is expected since around 28% of the cases resulted in injuries in the head and neck. Also, fractures were the most common type of injury resulting from falls.
"The home is the most common place where falls take place."
Unfortunately, while the home is supposed to be the safest place, New Zealand also reports how the home is the most common location for falls. In a 2018 statistic, around 388,310 people were injured due to falls at home. Moreover, there are higher cases of injuries via falls at home in remote areas than in urban regions, including Tasman, Northland, and Southland. Meanwhile, in Australia, Health Direct reported last year how nearly 2 out of 3 falls occur at home.
"People living in very remote areas were 1.4 times as likely to be hospitalised due to a fall as people living in inner regional areas."
The AIHW National Hospital Morbidity Database also found that remoteness is a factor in hospitalisations resulting from slips and falls in Australia. From 2017 to 2018, the most remote areas had higher rates than those in the least remote areas. In addition, there were more cases of death in very remote areas with 1,008 cases than in major cities with 756 cases per 100,000 population.
"Falls cost $1.1 billion ACC claims."
According to the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), New Zealand falls represented 39% of all ACC claims in 2018, which is around $1.1 billion. Meanwhile, in 2016, falls for those aged 65-69 accounted for 40% of ACC claims and 60% for those over 85.
Fall Prevention
The slips and falls statistics above show how prevalent the risk of injuries caused by falls can be. And these are just not just people who are getting on in years, but also those who are lone workers, people living with disabilities and need support in times of emergencies, even in their own homes. Below are some tips on how to prevent falls at home:
Exercise regularly to improve strength and balance.
Wear non-slip shoes.
Declutter the home and arrange furniture to make sure there are clear pathways.
Make sure to use non-slip mats in the bathroom, kitchen, and other parts of the house.
Try to install grab bars in the bathroom, especially on the stairs.
Keep your home well lit.
Store frequently used items in places where you can easily find them.
Do not wear socks or loose slippers at home.
Despite taking adequate precautions, falls are still a possibility for us all. At Tunstall, we have market-leading fall detection pendants that can automatically raise the alarm to our 24/7 Customer Care Centre when it detects a fall. Our devices also allow wearers to manually call for help or assistance whenever they need it, either at home or when on the go. Contact our team today for more information.
