The aims of this research were to determine medical and other expenses (transportation fees, purchase of medical supplies or equipment) from being hospitalized or attending a hospital due to fall-related accidents and to determine the effects of such falls on labor productivity and social activity.
First, total medical expenses and self-paid expenses were evaluated for 7 elderly participants over the age of 65 who were hospitalized or attended an orthopedic surgery at Hospital A in Tokyo. Second, a telephone interview was conducted on 21 persons above the age of 65 who had fall-related injuries in Kitamimaki Village (Nagano Prefecture), from May 2000 to July 2001. Questions concerned the circumstance of the fall, type and location of the injury, degree of physical and mental sequelae, influence on labor productivity and social activity, conditions of hospitalization and attending a hospital (transportation and frequency), and purchases for medical supplies, etc.
Self-paid costs from hospitalization for fractures were 1,200yen per day for cases without surgery and 1,500yen to 3,000yen per day for cases with surgery (depending on surgery method and number of hospitalization days).
Although a large variance was observed, average of total costs without medical expenses were 15,385yen, transportation expenses were 12,714yen, and purchases were 2,671yen. Transportation cost 409yen per visit; usage of a self-owned car was less costly than use of a taxi or bus. The influence on labor productivity was mostly on housework. Only 4 cases (19%) reported limitations on social activity; these were absence from meetings or sport lessons. However, physical and mental sequelae were observed in 8 cases (38%) with throbbing pain, movement limitations, and fear of falling.
The amount of therapy costs and other self-paid expenses from fall-related injuries were low but medical expenses are high. Results revealed the necessity of fall prevention programs.
