Hip fracture is the single disease that occupies the highest number of bed days in Denmark and around 7,500 hip fractures among people over 65 years occur annually. 14% of all the hospitalizations come from nursing homes. More than 90% of all hip fractures are caused by falls. Fall-related injuries as hip fractures are associated with increased mortality and a major cause of loss of functional capacity and impaired quality of life.

The report recommends that hip protection is included as part of the deliberations in fall prevention programs for citizens in close-care. Preventing that falls lead to fractures will probably reduce the risk of both morbidity and death significantly and reduce the number of emergency room contacts, bed days of hospitalization and rehabilitation process. Hip protectors can reduce fall forces on the hip, thereby reducing the risk of hip fractures on elderly frail individuals at high risk for falling.

The report concludes that there is evidence that the use of hip protectors among people in close-care is both clinically effective and cost-effective for preventing hip fractures. The effect depends to a great extent on the presence of supporting procedures and training of health professionals, and it is vital that citizens are being involved in testing and decision on the use of hip protection, to ensure good compliance.

Regarding cost-effectiveness of using hip protectors it is concluded that the use of hip protectors among citizens in Danish close-care are likely to have a positive effect, as it is expected to be cost-saving or associated with relatively modest incremental costs, and the report therefore invites relevant decision makers to consider to include hip protectors in the Section 112 of the Social Service Act, to be subsidized.

JP_27_spril_2010_Hip_protectors.pdf 

An abstract of the report from the National Board of Health is available under "Clinical Articles".