Table 2.
Medical History of Patients Presenting to the ED with a Fall-related Injury*
| Discharged from ED (n = 245) n (%) | Admitted to Hospital (n = 55) n (%) | Total Sample (n = 300) n (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comorbidities: | |||
| # of comorbidities [Mean (SD)] | 1.62 (1.4) | 2.65 (1.5) | 1.81 (1.5) |
| Diabetes | 29 (11.8) | 11 (20.0) | 40 (13.3) |
| Cardiovascular disease | 136 (55.5) | 37 (67.3) | 173 (57.7) |
| Incontinence | 5 (2.0) | 2 (3.6) | 7 (2.3) |
| Osteoarthritis | 43 (17.6) | 16 (29.1) | 59 (19.7) |
| Depression | 11 (4.5) | 5 (9.1) | 16 (5.3) |
| Cancer | 21 (8.6) | 11 (20.0) | 32 (10.7) |
| Stroke | 25 (10.2) | 7 (12.7) | 32 (10.7) |
| Neurological condition | 8 (3.3) | 11 (20.0) | 19 (6.3) |
| Osteoporosis | 37 (15.1) | 17 (30.9) | 54 (18.0) |
| Respiratory illness | 27 (11.0) | 9 (16.4) | 36 (12.0) |
| Hypo/hyperthyroidism | 20 (8.2) | 6 (10.9) | 26 (8.7) |
| Dementia | 17 (6.9) | 11 (20.0) | 28 (9.3) |
| Visual problems | 19 (7.8) | 3 (5.5) | 22 (7.3) |
| None or not documented | 36 (14.7) | 2 (3.6) | 38 (12.7) |
| Previous history of falls: | |||
| Yes | 72 (29.4) | 16 (29.1) | 88 (29.3) |
| No | 173 (70.6) | 31 (56.4) | 204 (68.0) |
| Medications: | |||
| # of medications [mean (SD)] | 3.39 (4.0) | 4.87 (3.7) | 3.66 (4.0) |
| 4 + medications | 95 (38.8) | 34 (61.8) | 129 (43.0) |
| Presented or admitted due to a fall in previous 6 months: | |||
| Yes | 21 (8.6) | 7 (12.7) | 28 (9.3) |
| No | 221 (90.2) | 48 (87.3) | 269 (89.7) |
| Presented or admitted for reason other than fall in previous 6 months: | |||
| Yes | 44 (18.0) | 12 (21.8) | 56 (18.7) |
| No | 200 (81.6) | 43 (78.2) | 243 (81.0) |
*
If percentages do not add up to 100%, this is due to missing data