Table 1. Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics of Medicare Beneficiaries 65 Years and Older Overall and by Fall-Related Injury Status for US Hospital Discharges, 2013-2014.
| Characteristic | Overall (N = 8 382 074) | Fallers (n = 746 397) | Nonfallers (n = 7 635 677) | P Valuea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, y, No. (%) | ||||
| 65-74 | 3 269 688 (39.0) | 182 289 (24.4) | 3 087 399 (40.4) | <.001 |
| 75-84 | 3 056 786 (36.5) | 268 712 (36.0) | 2 788 074 (36.5) | |
| ≥85 | 2 055 600 (24.5) | 295 396 (39.6) | 1 760 204 (23.1) | |
| Female, No. (%) | 4 736 281 (56.5) | 490 639 (65.7) | 4 245 642 (55.6) | <.001 |
| Cognitive impairment, No. (%) | 1 367 759 (16.3) | 201 665 (27.0) | 1 166 094 (15.3) | <.001 |
| Comorbidity score, mean (SD) | 17.8 (15.4) | 16.9 (14.6) | 17.9 (15.5) | <.001 |
| Discharge disposition, No. (%) | ||||
| Routine | 3 957 102 (47.2) | 160 254 (21.5) | 3 796 848 (49.7) | <.001 |
| Skilled nursing facility | 2 468 912 (29.5) | 442 194 (59.2) | 2 026 718 (26.5) | |
| Home health care | 1 862 288 (22.2) | 133 737 (17.9) | 1 728 551 (22.6) | |
| Other | 93 772 (1.1) | 10 212 (1.4) | 83 560 (1.1) |
a
Compares fallers with nonfallers. χ2 tests were used to compare proportions. Two-sample t tests were used to compare means. Falls were assessed at the index discharge.