Increased health risks from falls lead to greater which outcomes?

• A. Hip Fractures
• B. Morbidity and Mortality
• C. Intrinsic Risk Factors
• D. Extrinsic Risk Factors

Answer: (B)

Falls threaten an older adult’s health by increasing the likelihood of both nonfatal complications and death. While a fall can lead to a specific injury like a hip fracture, the broader impact includes functional decline, longer hospital stays, delirium, infections, loss of independence, and, overall, higher mortality. So, the increase in health risks from falls is best described as greater morbidity and mortality. Intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors describe why falls occur, not the outcomes; a hip fracture is a common outcome but does not capture the full health burden that falls can cause.