Ageing

Additional Information

WHO global report on falls prevention in older age pdf, 1.05Mb

Factsheet

Key Facts

• Falls are the second leading cause of accidental or unintentional injury deaths worldwide.
• Each year an estimated 424 000 individuals die from falls globally of which over 80% are in low- and middle-income countries.
• Adults older than 65 suffer the greatest number of fatal falls.
• 37.3 million falls that are severe enough to require medical attention, occur each year.
• Prevention strategies should emphasize education, training, creating safer environments, prioritizing fall-related research and establishing effective policies to reduce risk.

A fall is defined as an event which results in a person coming to rest inadvertently on the ground or floor or other lower level. Fall-related injuries may be fatal or non-fatal1 though most are non-fatal. For example, of children in the People's Republic of China, for every death due to a fall, there are 4 cases of permanent disability, 13 cases requiring hospitalization for more than 10 days, 24 cases requiring hospitalization for 1–9 days and 690 cases seeking medical care or missing work/school.

People in Africa are living longer than ever before. The Region continues to face a burden of persistent infectious diseases, while the prevalence of risk factors for chronic diseases is also on the increase. Estimated at 43 million in 2010, the population of elderly people in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to reach 67 million by 2025 and 163 million by 2050.

By 2020, noncommunicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes will be among the main causes of mortality in the African Region. For elderly women, age and gender discrimination is a major concern that often leads to disempowerment and can result in poor health outcomes, victimization and even death.

The focus on diseases such as HIV/AIDS means that preventive care is usually targeted at younger people. Older adults are often given little information on healthy ageing and must compete for services with all other age groups. Chronic poverty is a major risk factor for the well-being of older people.

The key to healthy ageing is a healthy lifestyle. Eating a variety of healthy foods, engaging in physical activities, and avoiding tobacco can go a long way toward promoting healthy ageing. Active ageing can optimize physical, social and mental well-being throughout life.