A Demographic Study of Fall-related Mortality in a Tertiary Care Hospital of North India

An accident is an unintentional and unplanned event which may lead to physical damage. Falls constitute the second leading cause of unintentional deaths due to injuries; after road traffic accidents. Injuries sustained due to a fall lead to significant morbidity and mortality, and put undue strain on healthcare infrastructure and the national economy at large. This study was conducted to analyse and prepare a demographic profile of victims and types of injuries sustained by the victims of fatal falls from heights in cases brought for autopsy in a tertiary care hospital in the Haryana region. Findings from the autopsy of 70 cases of fatal falls were incorporated and analysed in the present study. Important findings of the study showed that males were invariably more involved, especially in the working age group of 31–40 years with the brain being the most common organ injured in fatal fall cases. The study also emphasizes the need for workplace safety and the role of alcohol in cases of unintentional falls.