Patterns of Falls and Fractures Among Older Adults Undergoing Rehabilitation After Fall-Related Fractures: A Retrospective Study in Croatia.
- 1Department of Nursing, University North, Jurja Križanića 31b, 42000 Varaždin, Croatia.
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The injury patterns of older patients who reach rehabilitation after a fall-related fracture are rarely described. We aimed to describe these patients and to examine how age, sex, recorded chronic conditions, osteoporosis and previous fractures relate to the mechanism of injury and the fracture site. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, the records of 255 patients aged 65 years and over who entered a rehabilitation programme at a Croatian rehabilitation hospital after a fall-related fracture between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025 were extracted from the hospital information system and analysed using the chi-square test, the Mann-Whitney U test, the Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman rank correlation. Results: Women accounted for 74.9% of the sample and hip fracture was the most frequent site (52.9%). Ground-level falls caused 78.8% of fractures overall, 95.2% of those in patients aged 85 years and over, and 86.7% of hip fractures; the mechanism of injury differed by sex, age group and fracture site (all p ≤ 0.005). Cardiovascular disease was recorded in 78.0% of patients but osteoporosis in only 19.2%. Both osteoporosis (p = 0.041) and having two or more recorded chronic conditions (p = 0.012) were associated with the mechanism of injury, but not with the fracture site. Conclusions: Hip fractures and ground-level falls predominated, particularly in the oldest patients. The findings support systematic nursing assessment of fall circumstances, chronic disease burden, bone health and fracture history after a fall.
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BibTeX
@article{herak2026patterns,
title = {{Patterns of Falls and Fractures Among Older Adults Undergoing Rehabilitation After Fall-Related Fractures: A Retrospective Study in Croatia.}},
author = {Ivana Herak and Tina Košanski and Valentina Vincek and Mateja Križaj Grabant and Zoran Žeželj and Marijana Neuberg},
journal = {Geriatrics (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/geriatrics11050139},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42930018},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Patterns of Falls and Fractures Among Older Adults Undergoing Rehabilitation After Fall-Related Fractures: A Retrospective Study in Croatia.
AU - Ivana Herak
AU - Tina Košanski
AU - Valentina Vincek
AU - Mateja Križaj Grabant
AU - Zoran Žeželj
AU - Marijana Neuberg
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/02
JO - Geriatrics (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/geriatrics11050139
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42930018
AB - Background/Objectives: The injury patterns of older patients who reach rehabilitation after a fall-related fracture are rarely described. We aimed to describe these patients and to examine how age, sex, recorded chronic conditions, osteoporosis and previous fractures relate to the mechanism of injury and the fracture site. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, the records of 255 patients aged 65 years and over who entered a rehabilitation programme at a Croatian rehabilitation hospital after a fall-related fracture between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025 were extracted from the hospital information system and analysed using the chi-square test, the Mann-Whitney U test, the Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman rank correlation. Results: Women accounted for 74.9% of the sample and hip fracture was the most frequent site (52.9%). Ground-level falls caused 78.8% of fractures overall, 95.2% of those in patients aged 85 years and over, and 86.7% of hip fractures; the mechanism of injury differed by sex, age group and fracture site (all p ≤ 0.005). Cardiovascular disease was recorded in 78.0% of patients but osteoporosis in only 19.2%. Both osteoporosis (p = 0.041) and having two or more recorded chronic conditions (p = 0.012) were associated with the mechanism of injury, but not with the fracture site. Conclusions: Hip fractures and ground-level falls predominated, particularly in the oldest patients. The findings support systematic nursing assessment of fall circumstances, chronic disease burden, bone health and fracture history after a fall.
SN - 2308-3417
ER -