Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults in the U.S. They’re also the primary cause of traumatic brain injuries. In 2021 alone, falls resulted in the deaths of 36,500 older adults nationwide. Although alcohol use has been hypothesized to contribute to these outcomes, research on the connection between alcohol consumption and the severity of fall-related injuries in older adults has been limited until now.
The Link Between Falls and Traumatic Brain Injuries in Older Adults
A recent study by Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine sheds light on this issue, examining the relationship between alcohol use and severe head trauma, specifically intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), following a fall in older adults. The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open, is among the first to explore this connection.
The study utilized data from the Geriatric Head Trauma Short Term Outcomes Project (GREAT STOP), which involved 3,128 patients aged 65 and older who had sustained blunt head trauma after a fall. These patients were treated in the emergency departments of two level-one trauma centers in Palm Beach County, Florida. Researchers collected information on various factors, including alcohol use, which was categorized as none, occasional, weekly, or daily.
Alcohol Use and Increased Risk of Intracranial Hemorrhage
The findings were significant: 13.5% of the participants were diagnosed with ICH. Among those who reported alcohol use, 6% were daily drinkers, and these individuals had a 150% increased risk of ICH compared to non-drinkers. Even occasional alcohol users had double the odds of developing ICH compared to those who did not drink. Notably, the prevalence of ICH increased with the frequency of alcohol use, highlighting a strong dose-response relationship.
The study also found that alcohol users tended to be younger (average age 78) compared to non-users (average age 83) and that ICH was more common among alcohol users (22% vs. 12% in non-users). The results suggest that alcohol use is a significant, modifiable risk factor for falls in older adults, in addition to known factors like polypharmacy and environmental hazards.
Implications for Fall Prevention Strategies
Given these findings, the researchers advocate for incorporating alcohol use assessments and mitigation strategies into existing fall prevention guidelines, such as those provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s STEADI initiative. Doing so could help reduce the risk of severe injuries from falls in older adults.
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