Title : Growing burden of injury-related mortality in older adults in Georgia
Abstract:
Fatal injuries are a major public health concern among older adults, whose risk is amplified by physiological decline and multiple comorbidities. In Georgia, the aging population continues to grow, yet evidence on fatal injuries in this group has been limited. This study analyzed data from the National Death Registry for 2015 2024. During this period, 6,199 adults aged 65 years and older died due to injuries. Overall mortality showed an upward trend, with the highest burden recorded in 2019 (14%) and the lowest in 2015 (7%). The greatest proportions of deaths occurred in those aged ≥85 years (23) and 80–84 years (23%). Mortality was somewhat lower in younger age groups: 65–69 years (20%), 75–79 years (18%), and 70–74 years (17%). Men accounted for most injury-related deaths (56%), although the share of female fatalities increased notably in the oldest age group. Falls were the predominant cause of fatal injury (35%), followed by other or unspecified causes (20%), road traffic accidents (15%), burns (9%), respiratory arrest (8%), and mechanical force (5%). The likelihood of fatal falls rose sharply with age, while deaths from road traffic accidents declined in older age categories. These findings highlight that fall are the leading cause of injury-related mortality among adults aged 65 and above, with risk increasing steadily in advanced age.
