At Oregon Health & Science University, the number of patients treated for falling injuries has increased by 90% compared with 2016. These are falls that occur on ground-level, not from heights. Nationwide, about three-quarters of those patients are over the age of 65. That’s why Katie Drago, an OHSU geriatrician and associate professor of medicine, says the problem is becoming “a growing public health emergency.” We talk with Drago about the study the hospital has begun to help people prevent these injuries, and the need for more attention on the subject.
Think Out Loud