Where and When Did Falls Leading to Hip Fracture Occur in Adults Over 90?

Most events in one group can occur during the day even when nighttime events are more common in that group than in a comparison group. A study of falls that led to hip fracture illustrates both statements.

How the study compared ages

At six hospitals in and around Barcelona, Formiga and colleagues studied 105 people aged 90 and older with a hip fracture after a fall and compared them with 221 younger patients aged 65 to 79. In the older group, 70% of the falls occurred at home and 64% during the day. Nighttime falls were more characteristic of the older group in the comparison with younger patients.

What the percentages describe

Everyone in the study had already sustained a hip fracture after a fall. These figures describe the circumstances of those injuries. To estimate the chance of falling at home or at night among all older adults, researchers would need information about people who did not fall or fracture as well.

Source

Formiga et al., study of falls leading to hip fracture in nonagenarians (full text)