Background

Falls-injury is a critical public health concern in Australia. Understanding the economic implications of falls among older adults is crucial to allocating healthcare resources efficiently to reduce falls and improve quality of life. This study aimed to estimate the cost of fall-related injuries within residential aged care (RAC) settings.
Methods
We conducted a cost analysis from the healthcare sector perspective, based on a double-blinded randomised-controlled trial – the Opti-Med trial. The trial participants were 303 people aged 65 years and older. Identification of in-scope data from the Opti-Med trial dataset was achieved using the falls description note and the National Hospital Cost Data Collection diagnostic-related group classification system. Data analyses were performed using STATA V.17. All costs were adjusted to 2022 Australian Dollars.

Results

On average, the cost of an injurious fall per incident was $2,494 (SD = $6,199), while the average cost of falls per resident over 12 months was $1,798 (SD = $6,002). The potential cost of injurious falls per annum for permanent residents in Australia’s RAC system was $325 million. Gender and body mass index were identified as notable predictors associated with an increased likelihood of falls.

Conclusion

Fall injuries in RAC have a substantial economic impact on the Australian health system, with the cost per resident annum representing 20% of the 2021 – 2022 healthcare expenditure per capita of Australia. The high economic burden of falls with injury in RACs underscores the need for effective preventive approaches in this setting.