Fall Hospitalization Rates Up 56.1%: What It Means

The hospitalization rate for falls increased by 56.1% from 2014 to 2024. The 2024 figure was 1,149 people per 100,000 population. This is a change in a population-based hospitalization indicator. Its denominator differs from that of the 40.0% emergency department share in 2025.

The figures are based on the publication announcement released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on October 29, 2026.

Reference Years for Injury Incidence 2026

The 2026 in “Injury Incidence INJURY FACTBOOK 2026” is the publication year. Not every indicator counts accidents that occurred in 2026. Hospitalization and emergency department statistics must first be distinguished by their analysis periods.

Injuries are health problems caused by external factors such as accidents or poisoning. Falls are one cause of injury. Figures for all injuries must not be cited as figures for falls.

The data sources and analysis periods are listed in Table 1 of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s publication announcement.

Comparing Hospitalization Rates for Falls and Transport Accidents

The hospitalization rate for falls rose, while the rate for transport accidents fell. All figures below are hospitalization rates per 100,000 population. This table does not compare the actual numbers of patients nationwide.

Figure 1 of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s publication announcement defines injury hospitalizations as follows.

Patients hospitalized primarily because of an injury

The hospitalization rate puts the scale of hospitalizations on a common population basis. The 56.1% figure must therefore not be reported as the percentage increase in the actual number of patients. Changes in patient numbers require a separate comparison of the patient counts for each year.

Examples of Calculating Changes in Hospitalization Rates

The 56.1% figure is a relative increase calculated using the 2014 hospitalization rate as the baseline. Using the displayed values gives the calculations below. The decimal values are the rounded results of these calculations.

The figure of about 2.70 times compares hospitalization rates for the two causes in the same year. It does not mean that the hospitalization rate for falls increased 2.70-fold over time. Nor does it compare an individual’s probability of experiencing either type of accident.

Emergency Department Shares and Percentage Points

The share of falls among emergency department injury patients rose by 10.4 percentage points. The comparison period is 2015-2025. The denominator is the emergency department injury patients counted in the survey.

A percentage-point difference is found by subtracting one percentage from another. A relative increase is that difference divided by the earlier percentage. Even for the same change, the two calculations give different answers.

About 35.1% is the relative change calculated from the displayed shares. It does not mean that the number of patients with fall injuries increased by 35.1%. To determine the change in patient numbers, the total number of patients in both years is also needed.

What the Injury Hospitalization Rate for People Aged at Least 75 Means

The figures for people aged at least 75 are hospitalization rates for all injuries, not just falls. The denominator is also the population in that age group, not the total population. The age criterion and the scope of injuries must both be stated.

The difference between the two values is 2,136 people per 100,000 population in that age group. The increase calculated from the displayed values is about 36.9%. This figure must not be interpreted as an individual’s probability of falling.

In particular, citing 7,922 as the number of patients with fall injuries changes the scope of injuries being described. Converting this into an individual probability also requires checking how people are counted. How repeated hospitalizations of the same person are handled must be checked in the survey description accompanying the source data.

Comparing Denominators for Deaths, Hospitalizations, Emergency Department Visits, and Severe Trauma

These statistics describe different populations and cannot substitute for one another. The denominator is the population used as the basis for calculating a proportion or rate. Even indicators with similar names answer different questions if their denominators differ.

The number of people who experienced injuries in 2024 was reported as about 3.9 million. This is not the number of people who experienced falls alone. Nor is it the same statistic as the number of hospitalized patients or emergency department patients.

The same person may be included in more than one group. The numbers of people who experienced injuries, hospitalized patients, and deaths must therefore not be added together to calculate a total number of victims. It is also inappropriate to divide counts from different sources to produce a probability of hospitalization.

The severe trauma case fatality rate cannot be applied to falls in general. This indicator describes outcomes among severe trauma patients. This distinction must also be maintained when interpreting the burden of injuries among older people.

Common Mistakes When Comparing Two Points in Time

The first and last values alone cannot establish that an indicator moved in the same direction every year. The difference between 2014 and 2024 is the net change between two points in time. Annual data must be checked to determine whether there were increases and decreases in between.

Changes in population composition can also affect how the overall hospitalization rate is interpreted. To examine the effect of age composition separately, check whether the rates have been age-standardized. Age standardization is a method of putting the age composition of the populations being compared on the same basis.

Information to Retain When Reusing Statistics

When reusing a figure, retain its reference year, unit, and denominator along with the value. Providing only the publication year may cause historical statistics to be read as current figures. Below is an example of how to record the 2024 hospitalization rate for falls.

When recording 56.1%, retain the comparison period as well. Identify the figure of about 2.70 times as a value calculated by dividing the published hospitalization rates. For calculated values, include the original figures used and the rounding rule.

Where to Find the Official PDF and Excel Files

The publication announcement states that PDF and Excel files are available on the National Injury Information Portal. They can be found under the Statistical Publications menu in the Resources section. The PDF attached to the press release must be distinguished from the complete statistical publication files.

1. Visit the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s National Injury Information Portal.
2. Open the Statistical Publications menu under Resources.
3. Find “Injury Incidence INJURY FACTBOOK 2026.”
4. Check the units, notes, and data sources for the relevant table in the PDF and Excel files.

This path is specified on the last page of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s publication announcement. If the menus change, search by the document title. Check the statistical table notes as well for the survey scope and calculation methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why use the 2024 hospitalization rate in a 2026 statistical publication?

Because 2026 is the publication year. The hospitalization rate analysis uses data through 2024. The shares of emergency department injury patients were analyzed through 2025.

Does the hospitalization rate of 1,149 for falls represent the nationwide patient count?

It is a hospitalization rate per 100,000 population, not the nationwide patient count. The reference year is 2024. The actual number of patients must be checked separately under the patient count item.

Is the 40.0% emergency department share the population’s probability of falling?

It is not the population’s probability of falling. It is the share among emergency department injury patients included in the 2025 survey. Replacing the denominator with the entire population changes its meaning.

Can the severe trauma case fatality rate among older people be applied to all falls?

It cannot be applied to all falls. It is an indicator for a specific group: severe trauma patients. It must be distinguished from the probability of death for falls in general.