Epidemiology of Accidental Injuries at Home and Related Risk Factors for Mortality among Older Adults in South Korea: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Accidental home injuries among older adults are increasing globally, but reporting is limited. This study aims to establish foundational data for program development and policies to prevent accidental injuries at home in older adults by using data on the occurrence of accidental injuries at home and analyzing the risk factors of mortality due to accidental injuries among adults aged 65 years and older. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study used data from the community-based Severe Trauma Survey in South Korea. This study identified general, injury-related, and treatment-related characteristics of older adults who were transported to the emergency department with accidental injuries at home. Single-variable and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for mortality after injury. Results: The majority of older adults in this study who experienced accidental injuries at home were aged 75 to 84 (42.8%) and female (52.8%), with 1465 injured from falls and slips (68.0%). Risk factors for mortality included older age (≥85 years) (ORs 2.25, 95% CI 1.47–3.45), male sex (ORs 1.60, 95% CI 1.15–2.20), mechanism of injury (falls or slips vs. contact injury, ORs 6.76, 95% CI 3.39–13.47; airway obstruction vs. contact injury, ORs 13.96, 95% CI 6.35–30.71), higher severity (moderate vs. mild, ORs 2.56, 95% CI 1.45–4.54; severe vs. mild, ORs 12.24, 95% CI 6.48–23.12; very severe vs. mild, ORs 67.95, 95% CI 38.86–118.81), and receiving a blood transfusion (ORs 2.14, 95% CI 1.24–3.67). Conclusions: Based on these findings, the home and community environments where older adults live should be inspected and monitored, and in-home accidental injury prevention strategies should be developed tailored to the characteristics of older adults’ risk factors and their injury-related characteristics.