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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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| A prospective study of acute illness in the nursing home | | Author(s) | C A Alessi, J O Harker |
| Journal title | Aging: Clinical and Experimental Research, vol 10, no 6, December 1998 |
| Pages | pp 479-489 |
| Keywords | Acute illness ; Residents [care homes] ; Nursing homes ; Medical care ; Death ; United States of America. |
| Annotation | There is little data available on the nature of acute illness in nursing homes. This US study aimed to determine the incidence, aetiologies, risk factors and outcomes of acute illness in 140 residents at a Veterans Administration nursing home. Staff interviews and medical record review over one year identified acute illness episodes. Subjects were followed for three years to determine hospital use, discharge location, and survival. 113 acute illness episodes were identified, of which the most common were pneumonia (33%) and urinary tract infection (27%). Significant risk factors included anaemia, dependence in mobility, and surveillance time in the nursing home. Those who developed acute illness had increased hospital use in the first year of follow-up; they were also less likely to be discharged home by both one year and two years of follow-up. When hospital and respite residents with short stay were excluded, those who developed acute illness had lower 3-year survival, and the rate of acute illness episodes predicted 3-year mortality (Cox proportional hazards). Occurrence of acute illness identifies residents with increased hospital use, who are less likely to return home, and have decreased long-term survival. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-990505003 A |
| Classmark | CHA: KX: LHB: LK: CW: 7T |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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