Characterization of elderly patients hospitalized for an accidental fall in São Paulo city, 2013

OBJECTIVE: Description of the characteristics of hospitalizations due to falls in elderly people in São Paulo city. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, retrospective study. Secondary data from the National Health System (SUS) of seniors aged 60 or older who were hospitalized for an accidental fall during the year 2013 in the city of São Paulo were studied. RESULTS: 8,234 admissions were recorded by an accidental fall, elderly, in 2013. Femoral fracture (32.9%); intracranial injury (15.8%). CONCLUSION: In the present study, a higher frequency of hospitalizations for accidental fall in females and hospitalizations for accidental fall was greater was found in the group of those aged 80 years and over. The primary diagnosis for hospitalization was fractures of the femur as a result of surgical treatment femur fracture and arthroplasty.