Published

February 11, 2026

Introduction

This report highlights key trends in fall-related deaths and emergency department visits by Snohomish County residents 65 years and older to Washington state hospitals. This information is presented to support program planning and public health intervention implementation by the Snohomish County Health Department.

User Tip

For the best viewing experience, we recommend expanding all graphs which can be done by hovering your mouse over the graph and selecting the arrows in the bottom right corner.

Key Takeaways

  1. Emergency department visits for falls increased steadily and reached their highest level in 2025, whereas fall-related deaths peaked in 2021 and declined through 2023, with a modest increase observed in 2024.

  2. Older adults, especially those aged 85 and older, bear the greatest burden of fall-related harm. Across both historical and recent data, adults aged 85+ consistently accounted for the largest share of ED visits and deaths and experienced higher injury and mortality rates than any other age group.

  3. Females experienced substantially higher rates and counts of fall-related ED visits, reflecting greater injury burden, while males had higher fall-related death rates.

  4. Although representing a small share of total visits, American Indian/Alaska Native residents experienced the highest population rates of fall-related ED visits in both historical and recent periods, signaling elevated risk relative to population size.

  5. The most current data (October 2024 - December 2025) mirror historical trends, with fall injuries concentrated among the oldest adults, higher nonfatal burden among females, and continued disparities across race and ethnicity.

Historical Data

Date Ranges:

January 01, 2019 to December 31, 2024

Falls 65 and Older ED Visits

47,331

Falls Deaths

755

Age Group

Interpretation

• Across all years, adults aged 85 and older experienced the greatest burden of fall-related injuries. They accounted for 14,467 ED visits (31%)—more than any other age group—and had the highest number of fall-related deaths (416), representing the largest share of fatal falls countywide. Adults aged 75–79 (8,742 visits, 18%) and 80–84 (8,371 visits, 18%) followed closely, reflecting the steep rise in fall injuries among older adults.

• Adults 85+ had the highest fall-related ED visit rate at 19,581 per 100,000 residents, nearly double the rate among those aged 80–84 (10,390 per 100,000).

• The 85+ age group had the highest fall-related death rate at 563 per 100,000 residents—almost four times higher than the second-highest rate among adults aged 80–84 (145 per 100,000).

  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.
  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.

Sex

Interpretation

• Across all years, females experienced a greater overall burden of fall-related ED visits. They accounted for 29,195 visits (62%), with a rate of 6,920 per 100,000 residents—substantially higher than the male rate of 5,294 per 100,000.

• In contrast, males had the highest fall-related death rate at 103 per 100,000 residents, representing 354 deaths (47%). Although females accounted for a slightly larger share of total fall deaths (401 deaths, 53%), their death rate was lower at 95 per 100,000 residents.

  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.
  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.

Race Ethnicity

Interpretation

• White, non-Hispanic residents accounted for the majority of fall-related ED visits (41,645 visits, 88%) and fall-related deaths (676 deaths, 90%). While this reflects their larger share of the county’s adult population, their burden remained substantial: they had the second-highest ED visit rate at 6,664 per 100,000 residents and the highest fall-related death rate at 108 per 100,000.

• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic residents experienced the greatest relative impact. They accounted for just 404 ED visits (1%) but had the highest fall-related ED visit rate of any group at 7,564 per 100,000 residents, highlighting a disproportionate burden compared to their population size.

• Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic residents also carried a notable burden, with the third-highest ED visit rate at 5,384 per 100,000 residents despite representing fewer than 1% of fall-related ED visits.

  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.
  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.

Recent Data

Date Ranges:

January 01, 2025 to December 31, 2025

Falls 65 and Older ED Visits

10,314

Age Group

Interpretation

• Adults aged 85 and older experienced the largest share of fall-related ED visits, with 2,957 visits (29%), followed by those aged 75–79 (2,125 visits, 21%) and 80–84 (1,899 visits, 18%).

• Adults 85+ had the highest fall-related ED visit rate at 22,885 per 100,000 residents—nearly twice the rate of those aged 80–84 (12,436 per 100,000), the second highest age group.

  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.
  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.

Sex

Interpretation

• Females accounted for the majority of fall-related ED visits, with 6,260 visits (60%) and a rate of 8,051 per 100,000 residents. Males made up 4,052 visits (39%) with a lower rate of 6,405 per 100,000. The higher rate among females highlights their greater overall burden of fall-related injuries, reflecting both population demographics and increased risk among older women.

  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.
  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.

Race Ethnicity

Interpretation

• White, non-Hispanic residents accounted for the largest share of fall-related emergency department visits (8,871 visits, 86%), which reflects their larger share of the county’s adult population. Their visit rate was the second highest of all reported groups at 7,812 visits per 100,000 residents.

• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic residents represented only 1% of all fall-related ED visits (95 visits) yet had the highest population rate at 9,814 ED visits per 100,000 residents—indicating a substantial burden relative to their population size.

• Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic residents had the third-highest fall-related ED visit rate at 5,155 per 100,000 residents, despite accounting for just 20 visits (<1%). Black, non-Hispanic followed closely with a rate of 5,044 visits per 100,000 and 121 total visits (1%).

  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.
  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.

Public Health Resources

In collaboration with local falls prevention practitioners, the Snohomish County Health Department revitalized the county’s fall prevention coalition in 2024. The Snohomish County Coalition for Falls Prevention and Education’s (SCOPE) mission was created to empower individuals and communities in Snohomish County to prevent falls and promote lifelong well-being through innovative education, awareness, and collaboration—fostering safety, independence, and a higher quality of life for all. For 2025, SCOPE’s goal is to lay a strong foundation for falls prevention in Snohomish County while expanding partnerships across disciplines.

As of 2020, the Washington State Department of Health (WA DOH) reported over 90,000 adults 62 years and older experienced a fall with 62% of those falls occurring in the home. WA DOH has developed a falls prevention toolkit along with a plethora of other resources and initiatives available on their website. To learn more, please visit https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/injury-and-violence-prevention/older-adult-falls/fall-prevention-resources.

To access more Snohomish County specific health data, please visit the Snohomish County Health Department Data & Reports webpage.

Data Notes

This report uses three main types of measures:

  1. Counts – The total number of times the event occurred (such as emergency department visits or deaths) related to the specific condition of interest being monitored.

Example: Patients 17 and under had 100 ED visits and patients 18 and older had 300 ED visits for the condition of interest.

  1. Percentages – The portion of all events that occurred within a specific group of people. This helps show how different groups are affected relative to the whole.

Example: Patients 17 and under had 100 ED visits (25%) and patients 18 and older had 300 ED visits (75%) for the condition of interest. How it’s calculated: (Number of events in a group ÷ Total number of events) × 100

  1. Population Rates – A way to compare how often events happen in different groups, taking into account the population or size of each group. This helps identify whether the condition of interest is more or less common in one group compared to another.

How it’s calculated: (Number of events in a group ÷ Number of people in that group) × 100,000

Emergency Department Data

  • Emergency Department data presented within this report is from the Rapid Health Information NetwOrk (RHINO) program at the Washington State Department of Health, which is responsible for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of syndromic surveillance data, also known as healthcare encounter data, for the state of Washington.
  • This data represents the number of emergency department visits related to the condition of interest for people living in Snohomish County and sought care at a non-federal emergency department in Washington state.
  • Emergency Department data is available in near-real time.

Death Data

  • Death data presented within this report is from Washington resident death certificates. Specifically, the data was accessed via the Washington State Department of Health Center for Health Statistics (CHS) Annual Death Data Files.
  • This data represents the number of deaths of Snohomish County residents both inside and outside of Washington state due to the condition of interest.
  • The death data presented in this report reflect records that have complete data elements. These counts are considered the most accurate available at the time of reporting. However, totals may change as additional information is completed and validated.
  • Finalized death data is released annually for population health analysis, typically ~9 months after the end of the calendar year.

Population Data

  • Population data presented within this report is from official population estimates (derived from US Census Data) from the Washington Office of Financial Management (OFM). Specifically, the data was accessed via the Washington State Department of Health Community Health Assessment Tool’s (CHAT) Population module.
  • This data represents the number of people living within Snohomish County.
  • If population estimates are not available for a time period in the report, the most recent available population estimate will be utilized.

Emergency Department Data

  • Fall-related ED visits are identified by the CDC Falls 65 and Older v1 Chief Complaint-Discharge Diagnosis (CCDD) category which searches for the presence of fall-related free-text (examples: fell, trip, slipped) and ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes (example: W00-W15) in the Chief Complaint and Discharge Diagnosis fields of the ED visit record.

  • The data may not reflect the exact number of ED visits attributed to firearm injuries due to 1) differences in coding or reporting over time or between hospitals or 2) patients having symptoms that are non-specific or do not match search criteria.

Death Data

  • Deaths are classified using the underlying cause of death ICD-10 codes on death certificates. The underlying cause of death is defined as “(a) the disease or injury which initiated the train of morbid events leading directly to death, or (b) the circumstances of the accident or violence which produced the fatal injury.”
  • Fall-related deaths are identified by the presence of fall-related ICD-10 mortality codes on death certificates (W00-W19, X80. Y01, Y30) as specified by the International Collaborative Effort (ICE) on Injury Statistics injury classification matrix.