title: Long-term outcomes after injury in the elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The lasting impact of injury on lifestyle in the elderly remains poorly defined. The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term quality-of-life outcomes in elderly trauma patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The trauma registry at a regional trauma center was used to identify hospital survivors of injury > or = 65 years old discharged from April 1996 to March 1999. The 36-Item Short Form (SF-36) Health Survey was administered to this group by telephone interview and the scores compared with age-adjusted Canadian norms. Comparisons with test were made for continuous data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete data collection was achieved in 128 of 171 (75%) study patients. The mean Injury Severity Score was 21, the mean initial Glasgow Coma Scale score was 13, and the mean age was 74. Most (97%) were victims of blunt trauma. Compared with Canadian age-adjusted norms, there was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in seven of eight SF-36 domains: Physical Functioning, Role-Physical and Role-Emotional (limitations secondary to physical and emotional health), Social Functioning, Mental Health, Vitality, and General Health. Before injury, most (98%) were living independently at home. However, at long-term follow-up (mean, 2.8 years; range, 1.5-4.5 years), only 63% were living independently and 20% still required home care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the majority of elderly injury survivors achieve independent living, long-term follow-up indicates significant residual disability in quality of life as measured by the SF-36.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Center, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inaba
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goecke
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharkey
authors.forename: Frederick
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brenneman
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D011788:Quality of Life; D012042:Registries; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation