A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) led by Molly P. Jarman, PhD, MPH, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, revealed that older adults who experience falls are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with dementia within one year compared to other types of injuries.
Researchers analyzed Medicare claims data and found that 10.6% of patients who had a fall were later diagnosed with dementia, indicating a 21% increased risk compared to other types of injuries. This highlights the importance of implementing cognitive screenings for older adults who have experienced falls resulting in emergency department visits or hospitalizations.
Falls are a common reason for trauma center admissions, with over 14 million older adults reporting falls annually. Despite this, underlying factors that contribute to falls, including cognitive decline, are often overlooked in the healthcare system.
Senior author Molly Jarman, PhD, MPH, emphasized the need for more clinicians who can provide comprehensive care for older adults and improve access to cognitive assessments after falls resulting in injury. Early detection of dementia through cognitive screenings following a fall could significantly improve the management of cognitive health in older adults.
