{
  "abstract": "Background Falls are a leading cause of injury-related hospitalisations and deaths in Australians aged 65 and over. While geographic disparities in falls rates exist, the extent to which sociodemographic factors contribute remains unclear. This study examines falls injury admission rates in Victoria, the second most populous Australian state, to determine how these are influenced by sociodemographic factors and remoteness.Methods Data from the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset (2018–2022) were used to identify falls-related hospitalisations among individuals aged 65 and over. Falls rates per 100,000 population were calculated by local public health unit catchment, age group, sex, socioeconomic index for area (SEIFA) and remoteness. Generalised linear modelling explored the association between these factors and falls rates.Results Between 2018 and 2022, there were 171,100 falls-related hospitalisations, with a rate of 3,281 per 100,000. The highest falls rates were among females, in individuals aged 85 and over and from the South East Public Health Unit catchment. Falls rates were highest in metropolitan areas and in the highest SEIFA quintile.Discussion Geographic disparities in falls-related hospitalisations persisted after adjusting for remoteness and sociodemographic factors. Differences in healthcare access, aged care facility practices or hospital admission policies may contribute, though analysis of proximal femur fractures suggests these do not fully explain variation.Conclusions Significant geographic variations in falls-related hospitalisations persist in Victoria. Understanding these patterns is crucial for targeted strategies that reduce healthcare burdens and improve outcomes.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "South East Public Health Unit, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Aleksandra Warzel"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "South East Public Health Unit, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Chaturangi Yapa"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "South East Public Health Unit, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia",
        "Monash University, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Clayton, Victoria, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Mohana Baptista"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Monash University Accident Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Jennie Oxley"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "South East Public Health Unit, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia",
        "Monash University, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Clayton, Victoria, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Rhonda L Stuart"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Monash University Accident Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Janneke Berecki-Gisolf"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Geographic determinants of falls injuries among older adults: insights from hospital admissions in Victoria, Australia",
  "uid": "3be4a114-d696-578a-b760-2ee0b3b314d3"
}