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Simply osteoporosis — or multifactorial genesis for the increasing incidence of fall injuries in the elderly? The need for a scientific approach to reducing injuries

Leif Svanström, From Karolinska Institute, Department of Social Medicine, Kronan Health Centre, Sundbyberg, Sweden, Address for reprints: Leif Svanström Karolinska Institute Department of Social Medicine S-17283 Sundbyberg Sweden

Both the high and rising incidence of injuries in old age and a situation where accidents are looked upon as "super-human" events, impossible to prevent, call for a scientific approach to the problem.

Another strong reason for stressing the scientific approach is the complex aetiological origin of injuries in the elderly. Individual factors as well as factors overrepresented in the injured population must find a developed model as site for their importance compared to agent factors and environmental factors. If not, there will be an everlasting contradiction between the discussion on monofactorial "causes" of injuries like osteoporosis, lacking physical exercise, environmental risks, etc.

Still another reason is that the present serious situation with an increasing incidence of injuries in the elderly call for urgent preventive programmes as well as development of operation methods, rehabilitation methods and environmental changes. Unfortunately, in spite of the importance and magnitude of the number of injuries as a publich health problem, relative little scientific attention has been given to the area of injury control. In the paper it is concluded that there is a need for model development. These models should combine an epidemiological approach with a behavioural scientific method as well as a system-oriented model. Such models are available in occupational injury prevention and should as well be tested in prevention of injuries in the elderly.

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Vol. 18, No. 3, 165-169 (1990)
DOI: 10.1177/140349489001800302


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