Falls are the biggest cause of injury related hospitalisations and deaths in Australia, particularly among older people.
The latest report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare highlights the urgent need for stronger, coordinated falls prevention across communities and health services. Effective prevention can reduce harm, support independence and improve quality of life.
In 2022–23, falls accounted for 43% of injury-related deaths and 43% of injury-related hospitalisations. The estimated cost of falls in 2022–23 was about $5 billion.
In 2023–24, falls continued to be the main cause of injury hospital admissions, with ‘fall on same level from slipping, tripping and stumbling’ and ‘other fall on same level’ the two most common recorded types of fall.