While the total number of persons affected by hip fractures may be increasing over time in the next decades, due to the progressive aging of the population, incidence rates appear to be declining in most countries. The objective of this study is to describe annual hip fracture incidence rate trends in the Veneto Region, Italy, over a decade (2001–2010).

All incident hip fractures in men and women above or aged 65years old using ICD-9 diagnosis codes 820–820.9 in the Hospital Discharge Database were identified. Crude, sex- and age-specific and standardized annual incidence rates were calculated.

The median age of patients has increased from 82 to 84years in the last decade. The absolute number of hip fractures increased by 21%. The age-standardized hip fracture incidence rate for men increased from 304 per 100,000person-years in 2001 to 319 in 2010. For women, incidence declined from 787 in 2001 to 751 in 2010. Hip fracture rates decreased through the study period in the 65–74 age group, especially among females. In the age group 75–84, there was a clear increase up to 2004, then a progressive decline in both genders. Among subjects aged 85years or older, incidence rates were stable in women and showed a non-statistically significant increase in men.

The aging of the population, with a rapid increase concentrated particularly in the oldest old segment, implies that the overall number of hip fracture will continue to represent a major public health challenge to health and social systems.