TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2024//
TI  - Changes in emergency department and inpatient encounters for falls after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic
JO  - Journal of applied gerontology
A1  - Lach, Helen W.
A1  - Salas, Joanne
A1  - Scherrer, Jeffery F.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - OBJECTIVE: This study investigates changes in clinical encounters due to falls before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. <br><br>METHODS: De-identified health record data from a large mid-western health system was used to examine the frequency of emergency department (ED) and inpatient (IP) encounters for falls by month among adults age 50+ (N = 485, 886 patients) using joinpoint regression analysis. Also, overall rates before and during the pandemic were compared using log-binomial models. <br><br>RESULTS: Fall rates increased following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic for IP encounters but not for ED encounters. There were no differences by age, gender, race, or nSES. Monthly IP fall rates increased by 0.68% per month both before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Pandemics may occur in the future, and interventions are needed to prevent falls in older adults during the next public health emergency.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0733-4648
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/07334648241266434
ID  - ref1
ER  -