Older adult falls at a metropolitan airport: 2009-2010. 2012

Jonathan Howland, and Salma Bibi, and James English, and Sophia Dyer, and Elizabeth W Peterson
Boston Medical Center Injury Prevention Center, One Boston Medical Center Place, Boston, MA 02118, USA. Jhowl@bu.edu

BACKGROUND We investigated falls at a metropolitan airport to determine fall incidence, identify potential causes of these falls, and suggest opportunities for mitigation. METHODS We used deidentified incident reports of all falls requiring EMS response that occurred at the airport during 2009 and 2010. RESULTS On average, one fall occurred every 2.3days. Ninety-six percent (96%) of falls occurred in terminals. Of all falls, 44% occurred on escalators, making escalators the most common location. Seventy-two percent (72%) of fallers were females; 43% were ≥65years; 92% of all falls resulted in a documented injury; 37% of falls resulted in transport to hospital emergency departments. Escalator fall risks include carrying bags (due to changes in baggage fees), using cells phones, not using handrails, and compromised strength and balance. CONCLUSIONS Diverting at-risk passengers to elevators could significantly reduce the overall falls. Interventions targeting escalator falls have the greatest promise for reducing falls at this airport.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D007231 Infant, Newborn An infant during the first 28 days after birth. Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D008297 Male Males
D008404 Massachusetts State bounded on the north by New Hampshire and Vermont, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Connecticut and Rhode Island, and on the west by New York.
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D004607 Elevators and Escalators Mechanical ascending and descending devices which convey objects and/or people. Escalators,Elevators,Elevator,Escalator,Escalators and Elevators
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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