TY - JOUR AU - Clemens, Kristin K AU - Ouedraogo, Alexandra AU - Speechley, Mark AU - Richard, Lucie AU - Thain, Jenny AU - Shariff, Salimah Z PY - 2019/08/30 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Hip Fractures in Older Adults in Ontario, Canada—Monthly Variation, Insights, and Implications JF - Canadian Geriatrics Journal JA - Can Geriatr J VL - 22 IS - 3 SE - Original Research DO - 10.5770/cgj.22.341 UR - https://cgjonline.ca/index.php/cgj/article/view/341 SP - 148-164 AB - <p><strong>Background</strong></p><p>In older adults, hip fractures have been described to peak in cooler months. Seasonal differences in patient vulnerability to fracture and social/behavioural factors might contribute to these trends.</p><p><strong>Methods</strong></p><p>Using linked health-care databases in Ontario Canada, we examined monthly variation in hip fracture hospitalizations in those &gt; 65 years (2011–2015). We stratified results by age category (66-79, ≥80 years). We then examined for variation in the demographic and comorbidity profiles of patients across the months, and as an index of contributing social/behavioural factors, noted variation in health-care behaviours.</p><p><strong>Results</strong></p><p>There were 47,971 and 52,088 hospitalizations for hip fracture in those 66–79, and ≥80 years, respectively. There was strong seasonality in fractures in both groups. Peaks occurred in October and December when patients appeared most vulner-able. Rates fell in the summer in those 66-79 years, and in the late winter in those ≥80 years (when health-care utilization also declined). A smaller peak in fractures occurred in May in both groups. <br /><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Conclusions</strong></p><p>Hip fractures peak in the autumn, early winter, and spring in Canada. A dip in fractures occurs in the late winter in the oldest old. Environmental factors might play a role, but seasonal vulnerability to fracture and winter isolation might also be influential.</p> ER -