Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Trauma Prevention Activities for the Elderly

  • Geriatric Trauma (F Luchette, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Trauma Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review examines existing evidence-based literature in the field of geriatric trauma prevention. It is intended to provide a summary of current recommended injury prevention activities for the elderly and for the healthcare providers and system. Where evidence-based literature does not exist, the author will offer expert advice as to measures to be used and studied.

Recent Findings

Evidence-based literature is scarce in the field of geriatric injury prevention. However, there are several reviews from the Cochrane Collaboration and several national trauma organizations providing guidance for preventing geriatric falls and motor vehicle crashes. Suicide and elder abuse are less well studied in the elderly. Screening and education programs make sense here and interventions need to be studied.

Summary

Though there is not much robust literature on reducing injury in the elderly, providers can find guidance from this review and the references used to create it.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

  1. Bergen G, Stevens MR, Burns ER. Falls and fall injuries among adults aged ≥65 years—United States, 2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016;65:993–998. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6538a2.

  2. Burns EB, Stevens JA, Lee RL. The direct costs of fatal and non-fatal falls among older adults—United States. J Saf Res. 2016;58:99–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. • Gillespie LD, Robertson MC, Gillespie WJ, Sherrington C, Gates S, Clemson LM, Lamb SE. Interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;(9): Art. No.: CD007146. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD007146.pub3. Well done evidence-based review on fall prevention though 5 years out.

  4. McClure RJ, Turner C, Peel N, Spinks A, Eakin E, Hughes K. Population-based interventions for the prevention of fall-related injuries in older people. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005;(1):Art. No.: CD004441. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004441.pub2.

  5. Avenell A, Mak JCS, O′Connell D. Vitamin D and vitamin D analogues for preventing fractures in postmenopausal women and older men. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(4):Art. No.: CD000227. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000227.pub4.

  6. Santesso N, Carrasco-Labra A, Brignardello-Petersen R. Hip protectors for preventing hip fractures in older people. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(3):Art. No.: CD001255. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001255.pub5.

  7. •• Crandall M, Duncan T, Mallat A, Greene W, Violano P, Christmas AB, Barraco R. Prevention of fall-related injuries in the elderly: an Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma practice management guideline. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2016;81(1):196–206. doi:10.1097/TA.0000000000001025. Evidence-based review that relates interventions to actual injury reduction, not just risk.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation (US). Highway statistics 2015. Washington (DC): FHWA; 2016. [cited 2016 Dec 21]. Available from URL: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2015/dl20.cfm

  9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web-based injury statistics query and reporting system (WISQARS). Atlanta: CDC; 2016. [cited 2016 Dec 21]. Available from URL: https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html

  10. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Department of Transportation (US). Traffic safety facts 2014: older population. Washington (DC): NHTSA; 2016. [cited 2016 Dec 21]. Available from URL: https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812273

  11. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Traffic safety facts 2013 data—pedestrians. Washington, DC: US Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; 2015. Publication no. DOT-HS-812-124. [cited 2015 Feb 17]. Available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812124.pdf

  12. Desapriya E, Harjee R, Brubacher J, Chan H, Hewapathirane DS, Subzwari S, Pike I. Vision screening of older drivers for preventing road traffic injuries and fatalities. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(2):Art. No.: CD006252. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006252.pub4.

  13. Martin AJ, Marottoli R, O’Neill D. Driving assessment for maintaining mobility and safety in drivers with dementia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;(8):Art. No.: CD006222. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006222.pub4.

  14. • Crandall M, Streams J, Duncan T, Mallat A, Greene W, Violano P, Christmas AB, Barraco R, Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma Injury Control and Violence Prevention Committee. Motor vehicle collision-related injuries in the elderly: an Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma evidence-based review of risk factors and prevention. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2015;79(1):152–8. Evidence-based review relating interventions to injury reduction.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. •• Stav W. Occupational therapy practice guidelines for driving and community mobility for older adults. Bethesda: American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); 2015. p. 158. Several high level recommendations for improving driving skills and performance.

    Google Scholar 

  16. •• American Geriatrics Society & A. Pomidor, ed. Clinician’s guide to assessing and counseling older drivers. 3rd ed. (Report No. DOT HS 812 228). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2016. Excellent joint product of the AGS and NHTSA full of helpful information and tools, should be studied as implemented.

  17. Conwell Y, Brent D. Suicide and aging. I: patterns of psychiatric diagnosis. Int Psychogeriatr. 1995;7(2):149–64.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Conwell Y. Suicide in later life: a review and recommendations for prevention. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior. 2001;31(Suppl):32–47.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Barraco RD, Yawman AM, Gish J. Geriatric psychology and the injured elderly. In: Yelon JA, Luchette FA, editors. Geriatric trauma and critical care. New York: Springer; 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Acierno R, Hernandez M, Amstadter A, Resnick H, Steve K, Muzzy W, Kilpatrick D. Prevalence and correlates of emotional, physical, sexual, and financial abuse and potential neglect in the United States: the National Elder Mistreatment Study. Am J Public Health. 2010;100(2):292–7.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Crandall M, Duncan T, Mallat A, Greene W, Violano P, Christmas AB, Cooper Z, Barraco RD. Elder abuse: paucity of data hampers evidence-based injury prevention. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2016;81(3):603–5. doi:10.1097/TA.0000000000001132.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Baker PRA, Francis DP, Hairi NN, Othman S, Choo WY. Interventions for preventing abuse in the elderly. Cochrane Database of Syst Rev. 2016;(8):Art. No.: CD010321. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010321.pub2

  23. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for intimate partner violence and abuse of elderly and vulnerable adults: U.S. preventive services task force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med. 2013;158(6):478–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. • Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO). Preventing and addressing abuse and neglect of older adults: person-centered, collaborative, system-wide approaches. Toronto: Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO); 2014. p. 127. Recommendations for nursing practice with potential elder abuse patients, education and policy and system tasks.

    Google Scholar 

  25. •• Caceres B, Fulmer T. Mistreatment detection. In: Boltz M, Capezuti E, Fulmer T, Zwicker D, editor(s). Evidence-based geriatric nursing protocols for best practice. 4th ed. New York: Springer Publishing Company; 2012. p. 544–561. Defines screening questions in the elderly patient for different forms of abuse.

  26. Joseph B, et al. Validating trauma-specific frailty index for geriatric trauma patients: a prospective analysis. J Am Coll Surg. 2014;219(1):10–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. •• Faber MJ, Bosscher RJ, Chin A, Paw MJ, van Wieringen PC. Effects of exercise programs on falls and mobility in frail and pre-frail older adults: a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2006;87(7):885–96. A true RCT of exercise intervention on the pre-frail. 11 years old but worth a look.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lehigh Valley Health Network, USF Morsani College of Medicine—Lehigh Valley Campus, 1247 S. Cedar Crest Blvd, Suite 202, Allentown, PA, 18103, USA

    Robert D. Barraco

Authors
  1. Robert D. Barraco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert D. Barraco.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

Dr. Barraco declares no conflicts of interest relevant to this manuscript.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Geriatric Trauma.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Barraco, R.D. Trauma Prevention Activities for the Elderly. Curr Trauma Rep 3, 164–169 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40719-017-0081-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40719-017-0081-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation