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Abstract
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Article Information:
Incidence of Fall Related Hip Fractures among the Elderly Persons in Owerri, Nigeria
Ekezie Jervas, C.K. Onwukamuche, G.E. Anyanwu and A.I. Ugochukwu
Corresponding Author: G.E. Anyanwu
Submitted: 2011 March, 21
Accepted: 2011 May, 13
Published: 2011 June, 20 |
Abstract:
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The study aims at investigating the incidence of fall related hip fractures among the elderly
populations of Owerri, Nigeria and circumstances surrounding it. Falls are a major public health problem
among the elderly persons in most communities. One of these problems is hip fractures. Hip fractures among
elderly persons vary from place to place and also within places. In Africa hip fracture incidence is very low and
osteoporosis is assumed uncommon. Data were collected from three (3) hospitals that offer orthopaedic services
in Owerri, Nigeria for patients greater than 50 years who sustained hip fractures from falls between 2002 and
2008. Hip fracture types were limited to cervical and trochanteric fractures. 105 cases for all age group, gender,
fracture mechanism and fracture type were uncovered. 40% (n = 42), hip fractures occurred due to falls. 90%
(n = 38) of the later were falls among the elderly patients. Incidence was about 1.7 times higher in the women
than in the men (RR: 1.74; 95% CI: 0.88 to 3.44; p = 0.056). Fracture from low energy falls (FFSH) was higher
in females (84%) than in the males (67%); while fracture proportion from high energy falls (FFH) was higher
in males (33%) than in females (16%) (Chi square, p<0.001). Furthermore, proportion of elderly females that
sustained hip fractures indoor were more than that of the elderly males by a difference of 44% (Risk Difference:
44%; 95% CI: 13% to 75%; p = 0.0091) while more elderly males sustained hip fractures outdoor than elderly
females by the same proportional difference. Of the fractures sustained indoors, 54% occurred in those that are
married and living with their spouse. While 46% occurred in those that are single, divorced or widowed and
hence not living with their spouse. The corresponding proportion for fractures outdoors were 71% and 29%
(Chi Square, p<0.001). Though an increase was shown from the earlier study by Adebajo for Ibadan Nigeria,
incidence is still low. This could be due to the low life expectancy and absence of most extrinsic factors that
cause high incidence in Europe and America.
Key words: Falls, hip fractures, incidence, Nigeria, Owerri, ,
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Cite this Reference:
Ekezie Jervas, C.K. Onwukamuche, G.E. Anyanwu and A.I. Ugochukwu, . Incidence of Fall Related Hip Fractures among the Elderly Persons in Owerri, Nigeria. Asian Journal of Medical Sciences, (3): 110-114.
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ISSN (Online): 2040-8773
ISSN (Print): 2040-8765 |
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