Falls prevention, especially in older persons, is a top Connecticut Department of Public Health priority during the next five years. Numbers of emergency department visits and hospitalizations due to falls have shown an overall downward trend from 2008 to 2017; the median number of fall-related ED visits between 2008 and 2017 was 109,002. The Healthy Connecticut 2020 objective is to reduce the number of ED visits and hospitalizations by 10% from 2010 to 2020. Falls can cause serious injuries such as head trauma and fractures that require emergency treatment or hospitalization. They are the leading cause of emergency department (ED) visits for injuries, and cause nearly all hip fractures and one-third of all traumatic brain injuries. Children under 15 years of age and adults 65 years of age and older each account for about half of all ED visits and hospitalizations for falls.

Note that numbers before 2015 cannot be directly compared to numbers from 2016 onwards due to a change in data classification that started in October 2015.

Data last updated June 2019.

Connecticut Department of Public Health; State Department on Aging; Connecticut Department of Social Services; Connecticut Department of Labor; State Department of Education; Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection; Commission on Children; Office of the Child Advocate; Local public health agencies; Injury prevention centers; Health care providers including nurses, physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, emergency medical services, hospitals, home care agencies, and rehabilitation facilities; Health professional associations; Recreation associations and recreational providers; Child care providers and consultants; Schools; Coaches and athletic associations; State and local building inspectors; Organizations and coalitions focused on fall and injury prevention for youth, adult, and elderly populations; Community service providers for seniors, youth, and families; National and state philanthropic and medical research organizations; Academic institutions with geriatric programs; Others

Fall Injuries among Older Adults: “A Tool Kit to Prevent Senior Falls" (National Center for Injury Prevention Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1999) http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/toolkit/toolkit.h...

Develop and implement a public education campaign about the risks of using multiple medications (polypharmacy).

Promote implementation of evidence-based multi-faceted programs for community dwelling older adults that integrate fall risk reduction strategies.

Educate healthcare, childcare, and other care providers on fall prevention.

Partner with athletic, sports, and recreation stakeholders to develop strategies, policies, and training on use of appropriate protective equipment.

Collaborate with regulators and other partners to promote development and maintenance of playgrounds that meet guidelines for Public Playground Safety.

Develop comprehensive home safety program for families and caregivers, focusing on injury risks for children.

Identify, access, and analyze potential alternative sources of data on causes of and locations of falls for specific age groups, including home, recreational, and sports-related falls.

Develop procedures for improving the coding of data on causes and locations of falls.