Falls and fractures – Effective interventions in health and social care

Falls represent a significant public health challenge, with incidence increasing at about 2% per annum. Increased rates of falling, and the severity of the consequences, are associated with growing older and the rising rate of falls is expected to continue as the population ages.

In England, the number of people aged over 65 is due to rise by a third by 2025, the number of people over 80 will double and the number aged over 100 will increase fourfold. A significant rise in falls and associated fractures is therefore likely without preventive interventions.