van Riel K M M, Hartholt K A, Panneman M J M, Patka P, van Beeck E F, van der Cammen T J M
Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Geriatric Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, , Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Inj Prev. 2014 Feb;20(1):11-5. doi: 10.1136/injuryprev-2012-040593. Epub 2013 Apr 16.
With ageing populations worldwide, mobility devices are used more than ever. In the current literature there is no consensus whether the available mobility devices safely improve the mobility of their users. Also, evidence is lacking concerning the risks and types of injuries sustained while using a four-wheeled walker.
To assess injury risks and injury patterns in older adults (≥65 years) who presented at Emergency Departments (ED) in the Netherlands with an injury due to using a four-wheeled walker.
In this study, the Dutch Injury Surveillance System was used to obtain a national representative sample of annual ED visits in the Netherlands in the adult population (≥65 years) sustaining an injury while using a four-wheeled walker. The numbers of four-wheeled walker users in the Netherlands were obtained from the national insurance board. The numbers of ED visits were divided by the numbers of four-wheeled walker users to calculate age- and sex-specific injury risks.
Annually 1869 older adults visited an ED after sustaining an injury while using a four-wheeled walker. Falls were the main cause of injury (96%). The injury risk was 3.1 per 100 users of four-wheeled walkers. Women (3.5 per 100 users) had a higher risk than men (2.0 per 100 users). Injury risk was the highest in women aged 85 years and older (6.2 per 100 users). The majority of injuries were fractures (60%) with hip fracture (25%) being the most common injury. Nearly half of all four-wheeled walker related injuries required hospitalisation, mostly due to hip fractures. Healthcare costs per injury were approximately €12 000.
This study presents evidence that older adults experiencing a fall while using a four-wheeled walker are at high risk to suffer severe injuries.
随着全球人口老龄化，移动设备的使用比以往任何时候都更加频繁。在当前的文献中，对于现有的移动设备是否能安全地提高其使用者的移动能力尚无共识。此外，关于使用四轮助行器时所遭受的伤害风险和类型的证据也很缺乏。
评估在荷兰因使用四轮助行器而受伤并前往急诊科（ED）就诊的老年人（≥65岁）的伤害风险和伤害模式。
在本研究中，荷兰伤害监测系统被用于获取荷兰成年人口（≥65岁）中每年因使用四轮助行器而受伤并前往急诊科就诊的具有全国代表性的样本。荷兰四轮助行器使用者的数量是从国家保险委员会获得的。将急诊科就诊人数除以四轮助行器使用者数量，以计算特定年龄和性别的伤害风险。
每年有1869名老年人在使用四轮助行器时受伤后前往急诊科就诊。跌倒为主要伤害原因（96%）。四轮助行器使用者的伤害风险为每100人中有3.1人。女性（每100人中有3.5人）的风险高于男性（每100人中有2.0人）。85岁及以上女性的伤害风险最高（每100人中有6.2人）。大多数伤害为骨折（60%），其中髋部骨折（25%）最为常见。几乎所有与四轮助行器相关的伤害中有近一半需要住院治疗，主要原因是髋部骨折。每次伤害的医疗费用约为12000欧元。
本研究表明，使用四轮助行器时跌倒的老年人遭受重伤的风险很高。
