Fall and risk factors for veterans and non-veterans inpatients over the age of 65 years: 14 years of long-term data analysis

INTRODUCTION: Falls are one of the most important causes of injuries and accidental deaths among this segment of over the age of 65 years. The long-term follow-up study of fall-related injuries was conducted in elderly veterans over the age of 65 years, and the risk of falls in veterans and non-veterans was compared. METHODS: This study used the National Health Insurance Research Database for the period from 2000 to 2013 in Taiwan. This longitudinal study tracked falls in veterans over the age of 65 years, designated a control group (non-veterans), using 1:2 pairing on the basis of sex and time receiving medical care, and used Cox regression to analyse and compare the risk of falls among veterans and non-veterans. RESULTS: This study subjects consisted of 35 454 of the veterans had suffered falls (9.5%), as had 55 037 of the non-veterans (7.4%). After controlling for factors such as comorbidities/complications, the veterans had 1.252 times the risk of falls of the non-veterans. Furthermore, among persons in the 75–84 years old age group, veterans had 1.313 times the risk of falls of non-veterans, and among persons with mental illnesses and diseases of the eyes, veterans had 1.300 and 1.362 times the risk of falls of non-veterans. In addition, each veteran had an average of 4.07 falls during the 2000–2013 period, which was significantly higher than in the case of non-veterans (3.88 falls). CONCLUSIONS: Veterans’ risk of falls and recurrent falls were both higher than those of non-veterans, and age level, comorbidities/complications and level of low urbanisation were all important factors affecting veterans’ falls. The responsible authorities should, therefore, use appropriate protective measures to reduce the risk of falls and medical expenses in high-risk groups.