Posted on March 20, 2001 at 3:30 p.m.
BIRMINGHAM, AL — Elderly people who have experienced a trauma are at least three times more likely to experience recurrent trauma, according to a study by Gerald McGwin, Ph.D., associate professor of epidemiology and surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Details of study were published in the February 2001 issue of Archives of Surgery.
“We found that older patients, 70 years old and older, who have been hospitalized for an injury are at significantly higher risk for a subsequent injury,” McGwin says. “Those at greatest risk are women and those with chronic medical conditions or functional impairments.”
Injury risk among the growing elderly population in this country represents a significant public health concern. “Trauma among elderly patients has a tremendous impact on health care expenses and their quality of life,” McGwin says. “As this population continues to increase, so does the importance of this public health issue.”
The study analyzed data from the Longitudinal Study of Aging, an extension of the National Health Interview Survey, conducted from 1984 to 1990. Information was derived from the National Death Index, Medicaid hospital records and Medicare records of 16,148 non-institutionalized elderly people living in the United States during that time.
Findings may have a direct impact on injury prevention initiatives aimed at elderly people and those likely to have repeat incidences of trauma. “By providing elderly patients with education and counseling during their initial hospitalization, we can reduce the likelihood of recurrent trauma,” McGwin says.
The study found that functional impairments are the strongest indicator of injury recurrence. “Patients who reported greater difficulty with daily activities such as bathing, dressing and eating as a result of their first injury were more likely to suffer another injury,” McGwin says. “This means that interventions aimed at reducing the impact of injury on functional status are likely to have an effect on the risk of another injury.”
In other instances, research has proven beneficial in influencing prevention efforts, specifically in regard to the link between recurrent trauma and alcohol use. “Interventions implemented in a younger age group resulted in a significant decline in alcohol-related injuries,” says McGwin. “More research among older adults is needed to have an impact on recurrent trauma among this age group.”
Other UAB researchers with the department of surgery who collaborated on the study are Dr. Loring Rue, chief of trauma/burns and surgical critical care; Dr. Addison May, assistant professor of surgery; Dr. Sherry Melton, assistant professor of surgery; and Dr. Donald Reiff, surgery resident.