title: Risk for acute confusion in sensory-impaired, rural, long-term-care elders.
abstract: Acute confusion is a common geriatric syndrome in long-term care (LTC) elders with prevalence rates of 10% to 39%. Sensory impairment, specifically vision and hearing impairment, is even more common in LTC, with prevalence rates of 40% to 90%. The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk relationship between sensory impairment and the development of acute confusion in LTC elders. Each resident (N = 114) underwent sensory screening and then was followed for 28 days to monitor for the onset of acute confusion. Twenty residents (17.5%) developed acute confusion, 60 residents (52.6%) were found to be visually impaired, 49 (44.1%) were hearing impaired, and 28 (24.6%) were found to be dually impaired. Significant relationships between vision impairment, odds ratio (OR) = 3.67, confidence interval (CI) (1.13, 11.92), and dual sensory impairment, OR = 2.88, CI (1.04, 8.26), with the development of acute confusion were identified.
authors: The University of Iowa, College of Nursing, USA.
authors: Pamela Z
authors: PZ
authors: Cacchione
authors: Kennith
authors: K
authors: Culp
authors: Mary J
authors: MJ
authors: Dyck
authors: Joan
authors: J
authors: Laing
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003221:Confusion / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000523:psychology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009735:Nursing Homes; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology