TRENDS IN FALLS-RELATED INJURY HOSPITALISATIONS AND DEATHS AMONG ADULTS IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA

Background In the Australian state of Victoria, rates of unintentional falls-related deaths and hospitalisations among community-dwelling older people living in their own homes are increasing. Despite the availability of evidence-based falls prevention interventions the rates are projected to keep rising with the ageing of the population. Methods Retrospective quantitative data analysis was conducted of falls-related injury hospitalisations and deaths among community-dwelling older people in Victoria, for the period 2006 to 2018, captured by key datasets on deaths and hospitalisations available in Victoria from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), National Coronial Information System (NCIS) and the Victorian Agency for Health Information (VAHI). Data analysis includes temporal trends and descriptive statistics. Results This presentation will share results of the data analysis. Highlights will include temporal trends in fall-related deaths and hospitalisations, stratified by age and sex, fall type, injury type and activity prior to fall-related injury. Conclusions The burden of high and low falls across the adult life-course warrants increased government policy and investment in primary prevention of falls, and for efforts to begin earlier than at 65+ years of age. Learning outcomes This presentation of the latest surveillance of the Victorian population falls-related injury will inform future government policy effort in the primary prevention of falls in the community. Information about the Victorian population may have relevance to other international ageing populations.