Unintentional Fall Deaths Among Adults Aged 65 and Older Reach 69.9 per 100,000 in 2023

In 2023, the mortality rate caused by unintentional falls in adults aged 65 years and older was 69.9 per 100,000 population, revealing a concerning trend highlighted in a recent data brief from the National Center for Health Statistics. This rate has steadily increased over the years, with a higher prevalence observed among men compared to women. Specifically, men experienced a rate of 74.2, while women had a rate of 66.3.

The study, led by Matthew F. Garnett, M.P.H., analyzed data from the National Vital Statistics System, tracking trends from 2003 to 2023. Findings indicate that fall-related deaths intensify with advancing age, especially in the 85 and older demographic. Among racial and ethnic groups, white non-Hispanic seniors had the highest fall death rate, whereas Black non-Hispanic seniors exhibited the lowest.

Geographically, there is significant variation across states, with rates ranging from 29.5 in Alabama to 158.4 in Wisconsin. Overall, both men and women have experienced increasing fall death rates over the past two decades, albeit at different rates of change. These findings underscore the importance of targeted fall prevention strategies among older adults to reduce these preventable deaths.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-unintentional-fall-death-aged-older.html