Gender differences in predictors of nursing home placement in the elderly: a systematic review.
BACKGROUND
In recent decades a substantial number of studies have examined predictors of nursing home placement (NHP) in the elderly. This study provides a systematic review of gender-differences in predictors of NHP from population-based, longitudinal studies worldwide.


METHODS
Relevant articles were identified by a systematic search of literature. The articles based on prospective studies with representative samples of community-living elders identified predictors by gender-specific multivariate analyses.


RESULTS
Eleven studies were identified. We found gender differences in the prediction of NHP for marital status, living situation, housing and car availability and urinary incontinence. For both genders the risk of NHP did not differ substantially for age, functional impairment, cognitive impairment, dementia, and depression. The male to female ratio of admission rates ranged between 1 to 1.4 and 1 to 1.6.


CONCLUSIONS
Only a few studies analyzed gender-specific predictors of NHP, probably owing to the associated statistical difficulties. However, gender differences in prediction of NHP do actually exist, and this should encourage further research activities in this area using appropriate statistical methods.
Luppa
Melanie
M
Department of Psychiatry, Public Health Research Unit, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. Melanie.Luppa@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Luck
Tobias
T
Weyerer
Siegfried
S
König
Hans-Helmut
HH
Riedel-Heller
Steffi G
SG
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012744:Sex Ratio; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology