Documentation-based fall categories, baseline functional status, and diagnosed multiregional injury after falls in older adults: A single-center retrospective study
- 1Department of General Medicine, School of Medicine, Showa Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
Abstract
Context:: Older adults presenting to the emergency department (ED) after a fall show substantial heterogeneity in injury burden. However, the relationship between routinely documented fall information at presentation and broader injury distribution remains unclear.
Aims:: To examine whether documentation-based fall categories and baseline functional status information are associated with multiregional injury in older adults after falls.
Settings and Design:: Single-center, retrospective observational study conducted in a tertiary care ED from October 2022 to March 2024.
Materials and Methods:: Consecutive patients aged ≥65 years presenting after a fall were included. Falls were classified as A, dizziness/presyncope-associated; B, tripping/slipping/environmental; C, loss of balance during movement/transfer; and D, indeterminate/unclear. Baseline activities of daily living (ADL) were categorized as independent, dependent, or undocumented. The primary outcome was multiregional injury, defined as injuries involving ≥2 of seven body regions.
Statistical Analysis Used:: Multivariable logistic regression and sensitivity analysis.
Results:: Among 1014 cases (median age, 82 years; 41.1% male), multiregional injury occurred in 38.6%. Category D was associated with lower odds of multiregional injury than category B (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.48–0.98). Undocumented baseline ADL (adjusted OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.01–2.05) and ambulance transport (adjusted OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.08–2.49) were associated with higher odds. Sensitivity analyses showed similar patterns.
Conclusion:: Documentation-based fall categories, ambulance transport, and undocumented baseline functional status were associated with multiregional injury after falls in older adults. Nevertheless, these findings are exploratory, as documentation quality and diagnostic intensity may have influenced the outcomes.
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BibTeX
@article{hirai2026documentationbased,
title = {{Documentation-based fall categories, baseline functional status, and diagnosed multiregional injury after falls in older adults: A single-center retrospective study}},
author = {Takahito Hirai and Yoko Tarumi},
journal = {Journal of family medicine and primary care},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_522_26},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13722234},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Documentation-based fall categories, baseline functional status, and diagnosed multiregional injury after falls in older adults: A single-center retrospective study
AU - Takahito Hirai
AU - Yoko Tarumi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - Journal of family medicine and primary care
DO - 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_522_26
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13722234
AB - Context:: Older adults presenting to the emergency department (ED) after a fall show substantial heterogeneity in injury burden. However, the relationship between routinely documented fall information at presentation and broader injury distribution remains unclear. Aims:: To examine whether documentation-based fall categories and baseline functional status information are associated with multiregional injury in older adults after falls. Settings and Design:: Single-center, retrospective observational study conducted in a tertiary care ED from October 2022 to March 2024. Materials and Methods:: Consecutive patients aged ≥65 years presenting after a fall were included. Falls were classified as A, dizziness/presyncope-associated; B, tripping/slipping/environmental; C, loss of balance during movement/transfer; and D, indeterminate/unclear. Baseline activities of daily living (ADL) were categorized as independent, dependent, or undocumented. The primary outcome was multiregional injury, defined as injuries involving ≥2 of seven body regions. Statistical Analysis Used:: Multivariable logistic regression and sensitivity analysis. Results:: Among 1014 cases (median age, 82 years; 41.1% male), multiregional injury occurred in 38.6%. Category D was associated with lower odds of multiregional injury than category B (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.48–0.98). Undocumented baseline ADL (adjusted OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.01–2.05) and ambulance transport (adjusted OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.08–2.49) were associated with higher odds. Sensitivity analyses showed similar patterns. Conclusion:: Documentation-based fall categories, ambulance transport, and undocumented baseline functional status were associated with multiregional injury after falls in older adults. Nevertheless, these findings are exploratory, as documentation quality and diagnostic intensity may have influenced the outcomes.
SN - 2249-4863
SN - 2278-7135
ER -