Prevention of falls and fall injuries in elderly persons: a research agenda.

Abstract

In summary, falls and fall injuries represent common and potentially preventable causes of functional disability, morbidity, and increased health care utilization among elderly persons. While much has been learned about falls and fall injuries over the past decade, much further information is needed in order to identify the optimal prevention strategies. Some of the important questions that remain to be answered are listed in Table 1. While certainly not exhaustive, the topics listed in Table 1 and discussed in this paper provide a beginning template for a research agenda for fall and injury prevention among elderly persons.