Fall-Related Deaths and Prior Injury-Related Hospitalisations in Older Adults: A Five-Year Analysis

Objective of the research: to investigate the association between fall-related mortality and injury-related hospitalisations prior to death among older adults in Latvia, in order to be tter understand patterns of injury, healthcare utilisation, and potential opportunities for prevention. 
Data Source: Secondary data from the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of Latvia.
Case definition: Records from the Register of Causes of Death that included ICD-10-CM codes W00–W19 (fall-related causes) as either the primary or contributing cause of death.
Data Linkage: Death records linked to inpatient data from state-funded healthcare services for the 12 months preceding death. Study Population(2019–2023): 702 individuals aged ≥50 years, Latvia; mean age 76.5 (SD 12.4); 52.8% male.
Conclusions: Injuries among Latvia’s ageing population lead to substantial healthcare utilisation and economic burden. Hospitalisation patterns (repeated admissions and prolonged stays) highlight the intensive and costly care required after falls. Early frailty detection, targeted fall prevention, and integrated care strategies are essential to reduce hospitalisations and support healthy ageing.