FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 5, 2011
Contact: Kelley Elliott (267.350.7699 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
Public Health Management Corporation reports regional data in recognition of National Public Health Week
PHILADELPHIA— In recognition of this year’s National Public Health Week campaign focused on safety and injuries (April 4-10)¹, Public Health Management Corporation examined data on recent falls among adults 60 years of age or older residing in Southeastern Pennsylvania. An analysis of Public Health Management Corporation’s Community Health Data Base (CHDB) 2010 Household Health Survey found nearly one in five older adults (18.7%) has fallen within the past year, representing approximately 147,000 older adults in the Southeastern Pennsylvania region.
The survey also found that factors such as limitations in activities essential to daily living are associated with falls. Older adults with one or more activities of daily living limitations (46.9%)—such as getting in and out of bed or getting dressed—are more likely than older adults without an activity of daily living limitation (15.9%) to have fallen within the past year. In addition, older adults with one or more instrumental activities of daily living limitations (37.0%)—such as preparing meals or shopping for groceries—are more likely than older adults without an instrumental activity of daily living limitation (13.8%) to have fallen in the past year.
Falls can be devastating, costly and even deadly for older adults. The good news is that falls are preventable. The CDC recommends a combination of education, exercise, medication reviews and home safety modifications to reduce the risk of falls and injury among older adults². Small actions like assessing the home for potential hazards such as poor lighting and uneven surfaces can make a difference in safety. In addition, research shows that strengthening and balancing exercise programs, such as Tai Chi for example, can improve balance and decrease falls among older adults.
Additional key findings on falls among older adults in Southeastern Pennsylvania include:
• Adults 75 years of age and older (22.9%) are more likely than adults 60-74 years of age (16.5%) to have fallen within the past year.
• Older adult males (17.9%) and older adult females (19.3%) share a similar level of falls within the past year.
• Older adults living below 150% of poverty³ (25.4%) are more likely than older adults living at or above 150% of poverty (17.1%) to have fallen within the past year.
• More than one in five Latino older adults (22.2%) has fallen within the past year, compared with 19.0% of white older adults and 16.5% of black older adults.
• Older adults who rent their homes (25.4%) are more likely than older adults who own their homes (17.5%) to have fallen within the past year.
• Older adults who live alone are slightly more likely (21.4%) than older adults who live with two or more individuals (17.9%) to have fallen within the past year.
• Older adults in fair or poor health (31.4%) are twice as likely as older adults in excellent, very good or good health (15.0%) to have fallen within the past year.
The CHDB Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey is one of the largest regional health surveys in the country. CHDB is supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts, William Penn Foundation, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, The Philadelphia Foundation, CIGNA Foundation, Green Tree Community Health Foundation, United Way of North Penn, North Penn Community Health Foundation, the Scattergood Foundation and over 400 local agencies from the health, government, nonprofit and academic sectors.
For more information about the Community Health Data Base, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey or about falls among older adults in Southeastern Pennsylvania, contact Nicole Dreisbach at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 215.985.2524 or visit www.chdbdata.org.
¹ National Public Health Week is sponsored by the American Public Health Association.
² Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Falls Among Older Adults: An Overview. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Falls/adultfalls.html
³ Based on the 2010 Federal poverty guidelines, 150% of poverty ranges from $16,245.00 for a single individual to $55,515.00 for a family of eight. See guidelines here.
