The Montana Department of Health and Human Services is starting a new health awareness bulletin called Health in the 406, which hopes to highlight some of the particular successes and struggles Montanans face. This week, State Medical Officer Dr. Greg Holzman highlighted the startling number of fall accidents Montanans face each year.

"Average about 3,400 hospital stays due to falls and about 19,800 emergency room department visits in Montana each year," Holzman said. "That costs about over $135 million."

Holzman said there are some specific things that can be done to reduce the number and severity of falling accidents.

"We know that falls are a major problem, especially in older individuals, and we know that there are interventions you can do to decrease the risk of falls," Holzman said. "Both of these can be done through some types of strength training which decreases the risk of falls. And also, at a population level, just think about how areas are lit."

When it comes to health successes in Montana, Dr. Holzman said the state has a much lower than average rate of death by cardiovascular disease when compared to the rest of the United States.

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