Hand injuries in an older population - a retrospective cohort study from a single hand surgery centre

BACKGROUND: Hand injuries occur at all ages. With an aging population globally an increasing number of hand injuries among the elderly is to be expected. The aim of the present study is to describe the health characteristics and detailed injury patterns for elderly with hand injuries, with incidence, as a background for further studies on the topic. Specific knowledge is currently lacking about hand injuries among this group. The study is a retrospective cohort study from a single hand surgery centre. METHODS: Data were collected for 286 patients, aged > 65 years, treated for traumatic hand injury between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014 at the Department of Hand Surgery in Malmö. RESULTS: Incidence was 21.3/10000 inhabitants/year. The 286 patients included comprised 145 women and 141 men. The men had more severe injuries, often involving a wound, while women most commonly sustained a fracture after a fall. The men were younger than the women and required more surgery/admissions. Among all patients, 13% were healthy, while 27% patients took ≥5 drugs, mainly for cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of hand injuries among the elderly is lower than among a younger population. Men sustained more wounds from using hazardous equipment, while women sustained post-fall fractures. A minority of the elderly is healthy. Prevention of fall injuries is crucial and emphasising safety awareness might reduce injuries in both sexes.