Falls lead to greater medical expenses than firearm deaths in the United States, a new study has found, starkly highlighting the need for greater awareness around fall prevention and protection.   

Falls accounted for 16% of the nearly 1.5 million injury-related deaths in the U.S. from 2015 to 2020, generating average medical costs of $1.4 billion. Firearm deaths, meanwhile, represented 15.5% of the total and about $246 million in medical expenses. 

“While public discourse often places an emphasis on issues such as gun violence because of its acuteness, our study underscores the hidden economic burden of geriatric falls,” the researchers observed. 

On a per-person basis, fatal falls cost nearly $77,000, compared to about $44,500 for gunshot deaths. 

The longer hospital and rehabilitation stays associated with falls likely contributed to that significant gap in expenses. Older adults who fall also often need ongoing medical interventions even after a rehabilitation discharge, further adding to the bill. 

“The increase in fatalities, shifting demographics, and stark economic comparisons between fatal falls and other causes of death underscore the urgency of the issue,” the researchers concluded. “Policymakers must recognize geriatric falls as a critical public health challenge and implement proactive measures to prevent falls, provide specialized health care, and allocate resources strategically.”