Prediction of follow-up living setting in patients with lower limb joint replacement.
OBJECTIVE
The living setting to which older adults are discharged from medical rehabilitation has important social and economic implications. This study was undertaken to develop statistical models to predict living setting after medical rehabilitation in persons with lower limb joint replacement.


METHODS
Information submitted from 1994 through 1998 to the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation was examined. Hip replacement was experienced by 42% of the patients, 51% experienced a knee replacement, and 7% received some combination or other lower limb procedure.


RESULTS
Persons with hip replacements were slightly older than persons with knee replacements and had a longer length of stay. Logistic regression was used to develop a predictive model based on 60% of the cases. The model included five statistically significant predictor variables.


CONCLUSIONS
Cognitive and basic motor function associated with activities of daily living, age, length of stay, and marital status were important variables in predicting if older adults would be living at home 80-180 days after rehabilitation for lower limb joint replacement.
Ottenbacher
Kenneth J
KJ
University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, Galveston, 77555-1028, USA.
Smith
Pam M
PM
Illig
Sandra B
SB
Fiedler
Roger C
RC
Gonzales
Vera A
VA
Granger
Carl V
CV
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D012111:Residence Characteristics