Objective To examine the mortality of accidental falls and its variation trend among Chinese residents during 2004 – 2018 for providing evidences to the development of prevention strategies on accidental falls.
Methods From National Information System for Mortality Surveillance, we extracted the data on reported deaths due to accidental falls among Chinese residents during 2004 – 2018. Annual mortality rate and standardized mortality rate of accidental falls were calculated; annual percentage change (APC) and average annual percentage change (AAPC) were calculated with Joinpoint 4.8.0.1 statistical software.
Results In Chinese residents from 2004 to 2018, the annual standardized mortality rates (per 100 000 people) of accidental falls were 8.69, 9.34, 8.48, 8.46, 8.28, 9.25, 9.21, 8.62, 7.68, 7.39, 7.86, 8.43, 8.56, 9.00, and 9.04, respectively, with a non-significant increasing trend on the whole (AAPC = 0.4, P > 0.05). For the female residents, the standardized mortality rate of accidental falls decreased from 6.54/100 000 in 2004 to 5.11/100 000 in 2014 (APC = – 2.5%, P < 0.05); while from 2014 to 2018, the standardized mortality rate increased non-significantly (P > 0.05). For the infants less than one year old, the mortality rate of accidental falls increased non-significantly from 2004 to 2006 (P > 0.05), but the mortality rate decreased significantly from 0.05/100 000 in 2006 to 0.02/100 000 in 2018 (APC = – 8.2%, P < 0.05). The standardized mortality rate of accidental falls decreased significantly from 1.48/100 000 in 2004 to 1.24/100 000 in 2018 among the residents aged 15 to 44 years (AAPC = – 1.6%, P < 0.05) but among the residents aged 45 be 64 yeas and those aged ≥ 65 years, the rate increased significantly from 1.83/100 000 and 4.63/100 000 in 2004 to 2.17/100 000 and 5.69/100 000 in 2018 (AAPC = 1.0% and 1.3%, both P < 0.05). For the residents in central China, the standardized mortality rate of accidental falls decreased significantly from 8.34/100 000 in 2004 to 6.68/100 000 in 2015 (APC = – 2.3%, P < 0.05), the rate then increased from 2015 to 2018 non-significantly (P > 0.05); for the residents in western China, the standardized mortality rate of accidental falls increased significantly from 9.97/100 000 in 2004 to 12.33/100 000 in 2018 (AAPC = 1.6%, P < 0.05). Among urban residents, significant decrease in standardized mortality rate of accidental falls (from 8.28/100 000 to 6.39/100 000) was observed during the period from 2004 to 2013 (APC = – 2.2%, P < 0.05) but after then, a significant increase in the rate was found with a significantly increased rate of 8.02% in 2018 (APC = 4.5%, P < 0.05).
Conclusion Among residents in China, the standardized mortality rate of accidental falls increased non-significantly from 2004 to 2018 and the residents at elder age and living in western China were populations with higher mortality of accidental falls; in addition, the standardized death rate of accidental falls showed an increasing trend from 2014 to 2018 among urban residents.
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