HIP DEATH RATES DECLINE

DEATH rates after hip fractures have fallen in NSW since 2011, according to research published by the Medical Journal of Australia.

The researchers analysed data from emergency admissions of people with hip fractures from a low fall and linked it with NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages mortality data.

They found that the 30-day mortality rate fell from 8.4 per cent in 2011 to 8.1 per cent in 2018 – but that decline was almost entirely among people who had surgery.

The number of older people with hip fractures is expected to increase as the population ages, particularly among those aged 80 or more and those with conditions such as dementia, increasing the complexity and costs of care.

Mortality associated with hip fracture is higher for men and older people.