Department of Surgery and Perioperative Sciences, Section of Surgery, Umeå University, SE-901 85 Umeå, Sweden.
Accid Anal Prev. 2010 Mar;42(2):758-63. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2009.11.005. Epub 2009 Dec 23.
Bicycles are a common mode of transportation and injured bicyclists cause a substantial burden on the medical sector. In Sweden, about half of fatally injured bicyclists are 65 years or older. This study analyzes the injury mechanisms, injuries, and consequences among bicyclists 65 years or older and compare with younger bicyclists (< or =64) and older adults as passenger car drivers, to give a basis for an injury preventive discussion for this age group. Umeå University Hospital's primary catchments area had 142,000 inhabitants in 2006. Nearly all injured road users in the well-defined geographic area are treated at this hospital and a 10-year data set (N=456) of injured bicyclists aged 65+ from the hospital's continuous injury registration (1997-2006) was analyzed. The results show that the annual injury incidence was 2.4 and 2.2 per 1000 men and women, respectively, aged 65 or older. For men the incidence rate was constant in the three age groups 65-74, 75-84 and 85+, while it decreased strongly for women. The incidence rate for old adults as passenger car drivers and younger bicyclists was 1.0 and 4.6, respectively. Most frequent injury mechanisms were falls when getting on or off a bicycle (20%) and by potholes or irregularities on the ground, edge of a sidewalk, or similar (13%). Only 6% were hit by cars, trucks, or buses. Half of the injured suffered fractures or dislocations, and 10% suffered concussion or more serious intracranial injuries. Getting on or off the bicycle caused most fractures (especially a high fraction of the hip and femur fractures) and resulted in 27% of all inpatient days in hospital. Three individuals died. One-third of the injured were treated as inpatients for a total of 1413 days (on average 9 days), with 69% of the days being caused by fractures. The cost for out- and inpatient acute treatment was approximately USD 4700 (SEK 33,000) per injured. The results merit an interest for this target group; bicycle injuries among older adults are costly both for the individual and the medical sector. Injury mitigation strategies focused on the needs of this group are probably as well motivated as those focused on older car drivers.
自行车是一种常见的交通工具，而受伤的自行车骑手给医疗部门带来了巨大的负担。在瑞典，大约有一半的致命自行车事故受害者年龄在 65 岁及以上。本研究分析了 65 岁及以上自行车骑手的受伤机制、损伤和后果，并与年轻的自行车骑手（< 64 岁）和老年汽车司机进行了比较，为该年龄组的预防受伤讨论提供了依据。于默奥大学医院的主要收治地区在 2006 年有 142000 名居民。在这个地理位置明确的地区，几乎所有受伤的道路使用者都在这家医院接受治疗，对该医院连续受伤登记处（1997-2006 年）的 10 年数据（N=456）进行了分析，其中包括 65 岁及以上的受伤自行车骑手。结果表明，每年每 1000 名男性和女性中，分别有 2.4 和 2.2 人受伤，年龄为 65 岁或以上。对于男性，65-74 岁、75-84 岁和 85 岁及以上这三个年龄段的发病率是恒定的，而对于女性，发病率则大幅下降。老年汽车司机和年轻自行车骑手的发病率分别为 1.0 和 4.6。最常见的受伤机制是上下自行车时摔倒（20%）和因路面坑洼或不平整、人行道边缘或类似原因摔倒（13%）。只有 6%的人是被汽车、卡车或公共汽车撞击。一半的伤者有骨折或脱位，10%的人有脑震荡或更严重的颅内损伤。上下自行车导致了大多数骨折（尤其是髋部和股骨骨折的比例很高），占所有住院天数的 27%。有 3 人死亡。三分之一的伤者住院治疗，总住院天数为 1413 天（平均 9 天），其中 69%的住院天数是由骨折引起的。门诊和住院急性治疗的费用约为每位伤者 4700 美元（33000 瑞典克朗）。这些结果引起了对这一年龄组的关注；老年人的自行车事故对个人和医疗部门来说都是昂贵的。针对该群体需求的伤害缓解策略，其动机可能与针对老年汽车司机的策略一样强烈。
