A medicolegal evaluation of geriatric cases with traumatic injuries

BACKGROUND: The morbidity and mortality of traumatic injuries are higher in individuals aged >65 years, which are a population group showing an increase worldwide, compared to other age groups. The aim of this study was to compare the medicolegal aspects, such as abuse of the elderly with the morbidity and mortality rates of injuries resulting from trauma by examining the age, gender, trauma history, type of traumatic injury, clinical progress following injury, elderly abuse, and the care environment of the person in cases aged 65 years and older. METHODS: In this cross-sectional and descriptive study, a retrospective examination was made of the electronic and physical patient files of patients aged 65 years and older who presented at the Emergency Department of Blacksea Tecnical Univercity Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital between 2019 and 2020. RESULTS: Of the 647 patients who presented because of trauma, 384 (59.4%) were male and 263 (40.6%) were female. The leading cause of trauma was a same-level fall in 244 (37.7%) cases, followed by piercing or cutting injuries in 123 (19.0%), and a fall from height in 80 (12.4%) cases. Same-level falls and burns injuries were determined at a statistically significantly higher rate in females (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Abuse of the elderly and the mechanisms of all traumas, primarily falls as the most common cause of geriatric trauma, are a subject that should be addressed in terms of forensic medicine. Preventative measures against trauma should be implemented and reviewed for the elderly, and health-care personnel should take responsibility for the legal reporting of forensic traumatic injuries.