title: Analyses of the minimum data set: comparisons of nursing home residents with multiple sclerosis to other nursing home residents.
abstract: This research compares nursing home residents with multiple sclerosis (MS) at admission to other nursing home residents using the minimum data set (MDS). These comparisons include sociodemographic characteristics and health status measures, as well as treatments and procedures received. We analysed 14,009 admission assessments in the MDS for residents with MS between June 22, 1998 and December 31, 2000. We also analysed 440,642 MDS admission assessments for all residents admitted to nursing homes during the year 2000, with any admission assessments for residents with MS excluded from this comparison group. Residents with MS were significantly younger at admission than other recently admitted residents. In addition, residents with MS tended to be significantly more physically disabled and also less cognitively impaired than other residents at admission, based on analyses of several measures of physical disability and cognitive performance. Nursing homes caring for residents with MS should provide services and programs, including mental health care, that address the needs of these younger, more physically disabled, and more cognitvely intact residents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Rural Public Health, The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center, College Station, Texas 77843-1266, USA. buchanan@srph.tamu.edu
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Buchanan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ju
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008568:Memory; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D059408:Pain Management; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010351:Patient Discharge; D004856:Postural Balance; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology