(On behalf of the ANZTR Board)
Background: In Australia and New Zealand, the epidemiology of trauma has changed, with an increasing prevalence of severe injury and death in older persons following low energy mechanisms.
Aim: To describe the epidemiology and outcomes of major trauma in older adults in Australia and New Zealand.
Methods: The Australian Trauma Registry is a collaboration of 27 Australian and seven New Zealand major trauma centres, collecting information on patients admitted to these centres who die after injury and/or sustain major trauma (Injury Severity Score (ISS) <12). Data from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023 were analysed to examine cause of injury and injury outcomes in older persons.
Results: In the 2022/23 financial year, one third of all severely injured were aged 65 years or older (n=4137; 34%). With increasing age, the proportion of major trauma due to transport related causes decreased, while those due to falls increased. Low falls (<1m) were the predominant cause of injury for adults aged 65 years and over (n=1824; 45.8%). Among older persons with low falls, isolated head injury was the most common type of injury sustained (n=571; 31.3%). Compared with the overall cohort, older persons were less likely to be discharged home and had a higher rate of in hospital mortality.
Outcomes: Major trauma in Australia and New Zealand involves a large percentage of older people following low falls. Older persons contribute to the largest number of deaths and adverse outcomes in hospital. This has significant implications for future planning of trauma systems.