According to World Health Organization (WHO), a fall is defined as an event which results in a person coming to rest inadvertently on the ground or floor or other lower level.

Globally, falls are a major public health problem. WHO estimated that about 684,000 fatal falls occur each year, making it the second leading cause of unintentional injury and death, after road traffic injuries.

Over 80% of fall-related fatalities occur in low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria. However, in all regions of the world death rates are highest among adults over the age of 60 years.

WHO IS AT RISK?

While all people who fall are at risk of injury, the age of the individual can affect the type and severity of injury. Age is one of the key risk factors for falls. Older people have the highest risk of death or serious injury arising from a fall and the risk increases with age.

This risk level may be in part due to physical, sensory, and cognitive changes associated with ageing, in combination with environments that are not adapted for an ageing population. Older people who fall suffer moderate to severe injuries such as bruises, hip fractures, or head trauma and often these fall incidents may not be reported except in critical or fatal cases.

To prevent the risk of fall, a series of interventions exist across the life course. Understanding and evaluating risk factors can help to decrease or even prevent falls. This campaign aims to expose fall information and spur readers to leverage fall prevention interventions in order to prevent falls especially among the elderly.

TYPES OF FALL

According to Occupational Health & Safety, there are four types of falls to be aware of. These four types of falls are in categories based on the cause of the fall. They include;

1. Step
2. Slip
3. Trip
4. Stump

• A step and fall are when one walks on a surface that has a change in height that is not expected. This could be a step down, a hole or an uneven surface that slopes or dips down.
• A slip and fall are probably the most familiar type of fall. It happens when the surface a person is walking on does not allow the grip of shoes or feet, this causes the person to lose footing. On most occasions, slip and fall occur due to wet surfaces, but some flooring types may be naturally slippery and lead to falls.
• A trip and fall occur when something unexpected is in the path. It occurs when a person unintentionally trips over an obstacle, losing balance and falling. Trips are often caused by objects such as power cords, carelessly kept, items kid’s playtoys etc.
• A stump and fall occur when a person’s foot connects with an object and causes the individual to lose your balance. This could be an unexpected stair, an obstruction of some type or something under a rug or carpet that creates a bump.

See our article on MYTHS ABOUT ELDERLY FALL VERSUS REALITY

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