Predictors of functional status in patients in a chronic-care facility.
OBJECTIVE
To identify those factors correlated with functional status levels (activities of daily living and mobility) in a chronically ill population in long-term care.


METHODS
Retrospective chart reviews were conducted over 3 months for information associated with functional status on all 220 patients in an urban extended-care facility. Independent variables included demographic variables, presence of selected medical conditions, current mental status, and baseline functional status on admission. Mean length of stay was 39 months. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors of functional status.


RESULTS
Factors correlated with functional status levels for 217 patients included total score on admission functional status and total score on current mental status (both P < .0001). There were no significant differences in mean scores of total functional status by medical problem, age, gender, length of stay, condition, level of care, presence of infection, or use of psychotropic drugs.
Baigis
J
J
Georgetown University School of Nursing, Washington, DC 20007, USA.
Larson
E
E
Haskey
M Y
MY
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population