Trauma remains one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. When considering people of all ages, traumatic injury ranks as the fifth leading cause of death. Overall, the prevalence of injury‐related death is estimated at 37 per 100,000 people. For the elderly (<65 years), traumatic injury is the ninth leading cause of death with an injury‐related death rate of 95 per 100,000 people 65 years and older. Although only constituting 12% of the population, elderly trauma accounts for nearly 23% of all trauma admissions and one third of all injury‐related deaths. Despite being injured less frequently than their younger counterparts, the elderly are at higher risk to suffer fatal injury or an injury requiring hospitalization. Elderly individuals who suffer nonfatal injuries are at an increased risk for complications and permanent loss of independent function. These differences are generally attributed to the normal aging process, resulting in a progressive loss of...
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2005) Deaths, percent of total deaths, and death rates for the 15 leading causes of death in selected age groups, by race, and sex: United States, 2002 (LCWK3). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
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American Geriatrics Society. Position paper on falls prevention; www.americangeriatrics.org/products/positionpapers/abstract.shtml
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Pages regarding elderly drivers, (5 August 2004); www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/older.htm.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Pages regarding elderly fall victims, (9 September 2005); www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/falls.htm
EAST Practice Management Guidelines Work Group (2001) Practice management guidelines for geriatric trauma. Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST), Allentown, PA; www.east.org/tpg/geriatric.pdf
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Rogaczewski, A.L., Webb, T.P. (2008). Traumatic Injury. In: Loue, S.J., Sajatovic, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Aging and Public Health. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-33754-8_430
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-33754-8_430
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
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